The United States has said it is aware of Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's “deliberate mischaracterization” of US foreign policy and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas’ meetings. “The United States does not support any political party in Bangladesh. Nor does the United States favor one political party over another,” a State Department spokesperson said on Saturday (November 25, 2023). The US State Department reiterated that they want what the Bangladeshi people want: free and fair elections conducted in a peaceful manner. USA will support Bangladesh after election: Momen To support that shared goal of free and fair elections conducted in a peaceful manner, the US embassy personnel engage and will continue to engage with the government, opposition, civil society, and other stakeholders to urge them to work together for the benefit of the Bangladeshi people, said the State Department spokesperson. Maria Zakharova, during a weekly briefing on November 22, said that Russia has spoken repeatedly about the attempts by the United States and its allies to influence the internal political process in Bangladesh, ostensibly under the banner of ensuring “transparency and inclusiveness” in the upcoming parliamentary election. Information has come to light regarding a meeting at the end of October between US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas and a high-ranking representative of the local opposition, according to the Russian side. They reportedly discussed plans to organize mass anti-government protests in the country during the meeting, the Russian side said. In particular, the American Ambassador “promised” the representative of the opposition information support in the event that the authorities use force against participants in “peaceful demonstrations.” These assurances were purportedly made on behalf of the embassies of the United States, Britain, Australia and several other countries, according to a Facebook post shared by the Russian Embassy in Dhaka. China's cooperation is vital in ending Russia-Ukraine war: French FM "How can these actions of the American Ambassador to Bangladesh be regarded? They can be seen as nothing less than gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state on the part of Washington and its satellites, demonstrating open disregard for the norms and rules enshrined in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," the Russian spokeswoman said. "On our part, we have no doubts regarding the ability of the Bangladeshi authorities to hold the parliamentary election scheduled for January 7, 2024, in full compliance with national legislation, independently, without the help of overseas well-wishers," said the Russian spokeswoman.

Bangladeshi-American elected officials, and members of human rights as well as professional organizations have urged US President Joe Biden to change the current course of action and ensure a violence-free, secular, democratic future for Bangladesh. In a statement addressed to Biden, the Bangladeshi-Americans said that they are concerned about the repeated failure of the US foreign policy in its attempt to “establish democracy” without considering the historical and socio-political context in Muslim countries and regions. “The vivid examples of American foreign policy failure are Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya. We don’t want that to happen in Bangladesh,” the statement reads. The recent US policies and rhetoric are only “motivating terrorists and confounding liberal forces,” said the signatories of the statement. The Bangladeshi-American elected officials, rights activists, and professionals also said they firmly support Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s strategies in combating terrorism in Bangladesh and South Asia. British Minister for International Trade in Dhaka: Focus on unlocking more opportunities to grow trade “While we appreciate the concern of your administration about the upcoming election in Bangladesh, the US policy must also consider the widespread terrorism incidents in Bangladesh perpetrated directly by the BNP-Jamaat alliance and terrorist groups under the patronage of the alliance,” they said in the statement. Bangladesh held four widely praised and well-participated elections in 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2008, the statement noted. “But it appears from the current political stalemate that holding only free elections does not guarantee liberal democratic outcomes,” the signatories said. “Especially, the terrorism incidents under government patronage between two free elections in 2001 and 2008 indicate just having a free (and so-called fair) election in 2024 indeed will not change the current political deadlock unless stakeholders find a sustainable solution guaranteeing the security, safety and post-election political participation of the minorities and political dissidents,” the statement reads. Election 2024: EU's exploratory mission arrives next week For example, the signatories said, in October 2001, the BNP-Jamaat-led coalition won the election under a caretaker government. Right after their victory, the coalition unleashed an unprecedented attack against the Hindus and Awami League supporters across 11 districts in Bangladesh, they said. The Hindus and opposition activists were targeted for voting for Bangladesh Awami League, they added. The violence led to massive looting and burning of houses, rape of Hindu women, and members of the minority community being evicted from their homes. It continued throughout the BNP-Jamaat rule during 2001-2006, in some cases, with the direct patronage of the coalition leaders, the statement reads. While in power, the BNP-Jamaat alliance failed to ensure justice, and all the terrorism-related cases were resolved only after the coalition left political office, the signatories said. Salman F Rahman asks Pakistan president to apologise for 1971 atrocities They also shared a timeline of major violences during 2001-2006, under BNP-Jamaat patronage. “Our concern is what type of democracy would be safer if Tarique Rahman and other convicts somehow manage to contest the election through the back door and win?” — they asked. “Recently, we have been observing some actions of your administration and statements by some lawmakers sounding like anti-Bangladesh rhetoric, and these actions are hurting the US-Bangladesh relations. We are concerned about these developments and humbly urge you to take steps considering the historical perspective of the Liberation War, which aimed to establish a secular and democratic Bangladesh free of violence,” the statement reads. “The political field of Bangladesh is populated with two opposing forces — one with the secular, liberal ideals of Bangladesh and the other with religious extremism mixed with political jingoism,” the Bangladeshi-Americans said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leads the first one, and the other side is led by the BNP-Jamaat coalition, they said. The signatories are: elected Bangladeshi-American officials — Councilman Dr. Nuran Nabi, NJ; Mayor Mahabubul Alam Tayub, PA; State Representative Abul Khan, NH; Councilman Abu Ahmed Musa, MI; and Councilman Nurul Hasan, PA; activists — Prof. ABM Nasir, NC, of Shompriti Forum; engineer Rana Hasan Mahmud, CA and engineer Shikrity Barua, NY, of USA Bangabandhu Parishad; Golam Mostafa Khan Miraz, NY, of Bangladesh Liberation War Veterans 1971, USA Inc.; Nazrul Alam and engineer Tasnim Salam Aslam, CA, of California Bangabandhu Parishad; Fahim Reza Noor, NY, of Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee, USA; engineer Ahad Ahmed, MI and Ali Ahmed Farish, MI of Michigan Bangabandhu Parishad; Zakaria Choudhury, NY of USA Committee for Democratic and Secular Bangladesh; Rumi Kabir and Mahabubur Rahman Bhuiyan, GA of Georgia Bangabandhu Parishad; Khurshid Anwar Bablu of Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Solidarity Council, USA; Nasrin Munna of Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Solidarity Council, USA; Dr. Abdul Baten of Muktijoddha Sangsad; Sofeda Basu, MA of Massachusetts Bangabandhu Parishad; Morshed Alam, Democratic leader, NY; Zahedul Mahmud Zami, CA of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad, California Command Council; Abu Taher Bir Pratik and Kazi Shamim, PA of Pennsylvania Bangabandhu Parishad; group of academics — Prof Ziauddin Ahmed, PA; Prof Mizan R Miah, IL; Prof Jamil Talukdar, WI; Prof Shahadat Hossain, NY; Nurannabi Choudhury, NJ of South New Jersey Bangabandhu Parishad; and Tawfik Soleman Tuhin and Zamiul Belal, CA of Bangabandhu Cultural Organization. Read more: Bangladesh's sovereign right to pursue independent policy must be respected by all: Foreign Ministry

The US Embassy in Dhaka has said they take “seriously” all allegations of human rights violations and regularly meets with a wide variety of human rights organizations. “The US Embassy had not received any prior communication from Mayer Kanna over the last several years,” said a US Embassy spokesperson on Sunday in light of various articles and statements surrounding Ambassador Haas's meeting with Mayer Dak on December 14. Providing more information to the media in an email, the spokesperson said human rights are at the “center” of US foreign policy. The US Ambassador ended his “prescheduled” meeting with “Mayer Dak” on December 14 due to “security concerns”.   Read more: US ambassador didn’t go to the memorial on Martyred Intellectuals’ Day, he went somewhere else: Quader “The meeting was interrupted by protestors, who attempted to enter the building where the Ambassador was located. Other protestors surrounded the Ambassador’s vehicle,” said the spokesperson. He said they have raised this matter at the “highest levels” of the Bangladesh government, as well as with the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C. Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said there had been no lack of security when US Ambassador Peter Haas visited Dhaka's Shaheenbagh area recently. While talking to reporters at the Secretariat, he said police personnel rushed to the spot immediately. Read more: US ambassador voices concern over DSA in Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said the situation that US Ambassador Peter Haas faced could not be seen as a "security threat". “There is no scope to see it as a security threat,” he told reporters at the Foreign Service Academy on Thursday evening, noting that the incident will have no impact on Dhaka-Washington relations.

Former US secretary of state John Kerry will act as "climate tsar" when US President-elect Joe Biden takes office.