US says it has responsibility to work with Bangladesh govt despite concern over polls

The US expressing concerns over the election or crackdowns on political activists does not mean it does not have the responsibility to work with the Bangladesh government.

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said this at a regular briefing yesterday.

A journalist asked him if the United States was interested in working with Bangladesh in various security areas including counterterrorism, border security, cyber security, maritime security, and regional stability, and how it was possible to work in a larger context with the new government of Bangladesh without welcoming the prime minister.

In response, Matthew Miller said the US has relationships of this sort all around the world.

"We expressed our concerns about the Bangladeshi election. We've expressed our concerns about crackdowns in Bangladesh, but that doesn't mean that we don't have the responsibility to work with the government – both on areas where we have concern and also areas where we believe we can cooperate on shared priorities."

The US has been vocal during the last two years in favour of free and fair elections in Bangladesh. It also announced a visa policy saying that those undermining democracy and elections would face visa restrictions.

After the elections on January 7, the US issued a statement saying the polls were not free and fair. It also asked the government to ensure fair legal process for the political opponents detained ahead of the polls.