Elections, democracy matter in confronting destructive forces, says US on Bangladesh’s future
The journalist cited incidents of protesters displaying images of Osama bin Laden and Nazi symbols in Dhaka, along with calls to boycott American brands such as KFC and Coca-Cola, allegedly fuelled by antisemitic rhetoric
The United States has said democratic processes and people's actions are crucial in tackling forces that can destroy lives, as concerns mount over political instability and reported extremism in Bangladesh.
"Elections matter. I don't want to sound trite here, but it's true. Democracy matters, and actions by people matter to confront issues that might in fact, as we've seen over the last 20, 25 years, destroy their lives," US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said during a press briefing in Washington DC on Tuesday (15 April).
The United States has reiterated that the future of Bangladesh lies in the hands of its people amid rising international concerns over political instability and reports of growing extremism in the country.
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During the press briefing, the US State Department spokesperson responded to a journalist's question referencing reports, including one from The New York Times, about an alleged rise in Islamist extremism under the interim government in Bangladesh, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
The journalist cited incidents of protesters displaying images of Osama bin Laden and Nazi symbols in Dhaka, along with calls to boycott American brands such as KFC and Coca-Cola, allegedly fuelled by anti-Semitic rhetoric.
Bruce responded, "Bangladesh is a country with certain issues. They are also a country that we've talked about often, certainly with the questions from the crew here. So for a specific dynamic, I'm going to have us take that away."
"What I do have is something I want to mention regarding Bangladesh, which is that there has been an arrest of a UK MP, Tulip Siddiq. This is from the Bangladeshi courts, which have issued that arrest," she added.
Addressing the broader concerns raised in the question, Bruce said, "All of this and what you're discussing, even protests, et cetera, are a matter for the Bangladesh authorities to handle, and of cours,e talking with them matters a great deal as well."
"Ultimately, the future of Bangladesh is going to be decided by the Bangladeshi people," she emphasised.
