5 US lawmakers call for inclusive, fair polls in letter to CA Yunus

Five US lawmakers have written to Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, urging the interim government to ensure a free, fair and inclusive general election.

In the letter, dated 23 December, they also expressed concern over the suspension of a political party's activities.

Notably, the interim government banned all activities of the former ruling Awami League in May this year.

The US lawmakers said it is vital that the interim government work with parties across the political spectrum to create the conditions for free and fair elections that allow the voice of the Bangladeshi people to be expressed peacefully through the ballot box, as well as reforms that restore confidence in the integrity and nonpartisanship of state institutions. 

However, they said, they are concerned that this cannot happen if the government suspends the activities of political parties or again restarts the "flawed" International Crimes Tribunal.

The US Department of State and many other international observers noted that the 2018 and 2024 general elections were not free or fair, the letter notes.

Moreover, in a February fact-finding report, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights estimated that security services killed 1,400 people during protests in July and August 2024, it mentions.

The US lawmakers argued that genuine accountability for these acts and others should model the values of Bangladesh's democracy, rather than continue a cycle of retaliation.

Freedom of association, as well as the principle of individual rather than collective criminal responsibility, are fundamental human rights, they said.

"We are concerned that the decision to fully suspend the activity of any one political party, rather than focus on persons determined to have committed crimes or gross violations of human rights through the due process of law, is inconsistent with those principles.

"We hope your government or an elected successor will revisit this decision."

Ultimately, the Bangladeshi people deserve to be able to choose an elected government through a free and fair election in which all political parties can participate, so that their voices are represented, the US lawmakers said.

Calling Bangladesh a critical partner for the United States, they said they stand ready to work with "you and your government to support both our bilateral relationship and Bangladesh's democratic transition in the months ahead."

Regarding the letter, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said, "We have not yet received the letter. However, the government has a clear position on the Awami League."

"The government has banned the party's activities, and it will not be allowed to participate in elections before the trial is complete," he told a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy today, following a meeting of the Advisory Council.