State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Thursday said the government cannot take responsibility if any political party does not take part in the upcoming elections but expects that the polls will be held in a “free and fair” manner.
“We said it clearly that the elections will be free and fair. But we have no capacity as such to make sure that all political parties will join the elections,” he told reporters at a briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that this is what he conveyed to US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman during his recent meeting in the USA.
Alam said who will come or will not come in the elections depend on the decisions of those political parties or individuals, mentioning that the government will not take that responsibility.
The State Minister said he also briefed her about the Election Commission formation, search committee and president’s dialogue in which some political parties did not take part.
“You have seen how the Election Commission was formed and the President invited all stakeholders. In this process some specific individuals or parties did not take part,” he added.
Asked whether the election will get the acceptability, the state minister said the elections in the past got the acceptability and certainly the elections will have the same in the future.
During their meeting on October 7, the deputy secretary and state minister Alam discussed the Bangladesh-US partnership, as the two countries commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
The deputy secretary reaffirmed the importance of promoting human rights and holding “free, fair, and peaceful” elections.
“From my position, I need to respond and that’s what I have done,” said the state minister.
Referring to the US sanctions imposed on the RAB and its senior officials, the state minister urged the US government to withdraw the sanctions as soon as possible.
Read: Bangladesh elected UNHRC member because of experience with rights issues: Shahriar Alam
Deputy Secretary Sherman reiterated continued collaboration with Bangladesh on its fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
Shahriar urged the US government to expedite the deportation of Bangabanhu's killer Rashed Chowdhury to Bangladesh mentioning that the issue was of utmost importance to the people of Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself.
He also emphasised the conclusion of an extradition treaty between Bangladesh and the USA as early as possible.
He criticised BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's remarks in a political rally in Chattogram.
Fakhrul said the US sanctioned the Rapid Action Battalion, but the sanction should have been imposed on the AL government.
State Minister Alam said it will be very unfortunate if he said this and it will be again a reflection of BNP’s desire that without depending on the people of the country they are trying to use the foreign countries.
He said such remarks from Fakhrul are tantamount to sedition.
Responding to a question, Shahriar said Bangladesh remains very hospitable to the diplomats and hoped that the foreign diplomats will not misuse that gesture. “If they do, we need to think otherwise.”
Read: India has again assured Bangladesh of resolving Teesta issue: Shahriar Alam
He referred to James F Moriarty, the then-US ambassador, who sent the confidential cable on November 3, 2008 to Washington and WikiLeaks published it later portraying Tarique Rahman as a symbol of “kleptocratic government and violent politics” in Bangladesh and the US embassy in Dhaka even recommended blocking his entry into the United States.
The state minister said instead of calling for sanctions from the US on Bangladesh, Mirza Fakhrul should have first worked on removing the barrier on Tarique’s movement to the US as they hear.