M Mushfiqul Fazal, State Department
“The US doesn’t consider it interference to have honest dialogue with its friends and partners about concerns and shared interests that may impact the bilateral relationship or regional concerns and regional priorities.”
Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State Vedant Patel said this on Tuesday at a briefing while responding to a question over Bangladesh Prime Minister’s verbal attacks over ‘US’s interference in other countries in regime change.’
On April 10, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her speech in the parliament said the United States can overthrow the government in any country and here it wants to install a government that will be anything but democratic in nature.
About next general election in Bangladesh, the State Department spokesperson said the US supports free and fair elections in Bangladesh as well as around the world.
While responding to a question about private television channel Somoy News TV’s report on the US and US embassy in Dhaka, Vedant Patel said, “US embassy in Dhaka acts as an envoy for our bilateral relationship with Bangladesh as well as all of our embassies around the world do.”
In the briefing, State Department correspondent M Mushfiqul Fazal asked, “I’m wondering will you ask Bangladesh prime minister for a formal apology, as she accused United States that they are doing – involving a regime change in various part of the world as she’s visiting Washington, I guess private visit or the – for the World Bank thing. One of the mouthpiece of the Bangladesh Government, Somoy News, they made a lengthy report and accusing U.S. that U.S. embassy in Bangladesh – they’re characterizing that a political party of Bangladesh, and that’s why the U.S. ambassadors have been upstart by the various group, and they are instigating like that. So what is your comment and then – an institution like NED that told that lengthy report, that they are involved in regime change and spreading money. So what is your comment on that and what is your response?”
In reply, Vedant Patel said, “Let me try to unpack that a little bit. So first, I don’t have anything to offer on the prime minister's comments. Broadly what I will say is that the U.S. doesn’t consider it interference to have honest dialogue with our friends and partners about concerns that we have and shared interests that may impact the bilateral relationship, or may impact regional concerns and regional priorities. And as we have said, the U.S. supports free and fair elections in Bangladesh as well as around the world, and we do not endorse one political party or candidate over another.”
He further said, “Specifically on the criticism about our embassy in Dhaka, I will say our embassy in Dhaka acts as an envoy for our bilateral relationship with Bangladesh as well as all of our embassies around the world do. And what I will note – you heard me speak to this yesterday – Bangladesh is a country of great importance to us. It’s a country we are interested in deepening our relationships with. In 2022 we celebrated 50 years of bilateral relationships with Bangladesh, and we believe that there’s a number of issues in which we can continue to deepen our cooperation on – not just with the Bangladeshi Government, with the Bangladeshi people as well, whether that be addressing the threat of climate change, whether that be deepening economic ties, security concerns as it relates to the Indo-Pacific, and what have you.”
Mentioning the misinterpretation of Vedant Patel’s remarks by the various controlled media in Bangladesh, this correspondent asked, “Just yesterday I think it’s misrepresented by the various media – controlled media in Bangladesh, your statement that Secretary Blinken made it very clear when he met foreign minister that not only U.S., whole world is watching for Bangladesh election, as Bangladesh experienced two farcical election, 2014 and 2018, and you are always urging for a free, fair, credible, and neutral election.”
In reply, Vedant Patel said, “That’s our expectation for any – any country in the world, is for elections to take place and for them to happen freely, fairly, and as you said, with neutrality as well, and for them to be conducted with neutrality, as I might add.”
Another person claiming Somoy News correspondent has asked, “ During the last decade and half, under the present government, Bangladesh has become a model of development around the world. Both World Bank and IMF acknowledged that last – even this week when the PM is visiting right now here in U.S. capital. Under these circumstances, how is U.S.-Bangladesh relation can develop the next level? Many believe that responsibility lies on U.S. being the most powerful country in the world and you are supporting everywhere the democracies. So what will be the next level of the relationship with Bangladesh?
In reply spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “ I think I spoke to this a little bit when answering your colleague’s ( Mushfiqul Fazal) question, and I think you asked a similar question yesterday when I spoke to this. But I will reiterate again that Bangladesh is a country that we’re looking to continue to deepen our partnership and relationship with. As I said, this year would be the 51st year of bilateral relationships between the United States and Bangladesh. There are a number of areas – deepening economic ties, addressing climate change, security cooperation – that we believe are very important to continuing to deepen this partnership.”
MN/
