M Mushfiqul Fazal, State Department correspondent
The US has already made clear its desire for free and fair elections in Bangladesh, said National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby.
“We adapted our visa policy to restrict travel to individuals who undermine Bangladeshi elections. So I can only speak for ourselves. You know where we are. We’ve been pretty public about that, but we would let the Indian Government talk about their bilateral relations,” he told a briefing while replying to a query at Foreign Press Center on the upcoming state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At the briefing, Kirby said it is commonplace and consistent for President Biden to raise concerns over human rights wherever he goes and whatever leaders he is speaking to.
“Human rights are a foundational element of this administration’s foreign policy, and you can certainly expect that the President will - as he always does and as you can do with friends and partners like Prime Minister Modi in India - raise our concerns about that,” he added.
Raising various issues, including human rights, democracy and election in Bangladesh, State Department correspondent M Mushfiqul Fazal asked “This is a very significant visit (Modi’s visit to US) and you and we all are waiting for this visit, obviously. Do you think regional democratic stability and human rights situation will be discussed during the upcoming visit of the Indian prime minister as democracy and human rights are the key elements of the Biden-Harris administration’s foreign policy? And another quick question on Bangladesh, The United States already announced the visa policy to support free, fair, and inclusive election in Bangladesh. Do you think, as the largest democracy in the world, India will be with the United States effort to ensure voting rights and restore democracy in Bangladesh, as Bangladesh experienced two farcical election in 2014 and 2018 and we observe the Indian influence to keep Sheikh Hasina in power?”
In reply, Kirby said, “So on your first question, it is commonplace and consistent for President Biden to raise concerns over human rights wherever he goes around the world and whatever leaders he’s speaking to. Human rights are a foundational element of this administration’s foreign policy, and you can certainly expect that the President will - as he always does and as you can do with friends and partners like Prime Minister Modi in India -raise our concerns about that.”
He said, “On Bangladesh, again, I think we’d let the Indian Government speak for its bilateral relations with Bangladesh. But you are correct. We have already made clear our desire for free and fair elections in Bangladesh, and you’re right, we adapted our visa policy to restrict travel to individuals who undermine Bangladeshi elections.”
“So I can only speak for ourselves. You know where we are. We’ve been pretty public about that, but we would let the Indian Government talk about their bilateral relations,” Kirby added.
NR/
