U.S. Department of State
Office of the Secretary
2201 C St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20520
August 6, 2023
Dear Honorable Secretary Blinken,
The Coalition for Human Rights & Democracy in Bangladesh (CHRD Bangladesh) would like to take this opportunity to express its highest appreciation for the efforts the United States, particularly the Department of State under your able direction, is making to establish good governance in Bangladesh. Since its inauguration, the administration of President Joe Biden repeatedly emphasized the pursuit of human rights, democracy, election integrity and combating corruption and authoritarianism in its engagements with foreign governments.
Bangladesh, under Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister since 2009, seriously suffers in all these areas and much more. CHRD Bangladesh is gratified to note that the US took several remedial measures to improve the situation. The State Department made a number of high-level contacts, both in Washington, D.C. and Dhaka, emphasizing those goals, particularly political freedom and election integrity for the upcoming election due in a few months.
The United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has been tirelessly making efforts with the parties concerned to ensure compliance with those goals in the administration and in politics. Unfortunately, the Hasina regime remains defiant, and continues its wrongdoings and its authoritarian rule. Knowing its abject failures in human rights, democracy, and credible elections, it considers the US and Mr. Haas to be “interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs.” The Ambassador at times faced physical security threats from the ruling party ruffians. But he undauntedly continues his mission in the host country.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its 38 alliance partners have been conducting strong movements for almost a year now for election under a neutral caretaker government (CTG). They vowed not to participate in any election under the Hasina administration, which was incapable of holding a fair and credible election. All the elections held under the Awami League government were fraught with massive irregularities and fraudulent practices, thus ensuring almost 100% victory for itself. As such, nothing is left to the imagination. Furthermore, the regime insists on managing the election under itself.
In recent interactions with administration and election authorities, Ambassador Haas has reiterated the US goals for a free, fair, participatory, and peaceful election. On the opposition demand for the CTG, he said that it was something to be decided by the people of the country.
But, Honorable Secretary, Bangladeshi people under Sheikh Hasina have no voice. They cannot speak openly and freely due to the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA). During the opposition parties’ intense movements for a CTG, freedom and justice are ruthlessly crushed in the name of security and law and order, which, in fact, is the creation of the law enforcers themselves, and the ruling party activists under official patronage. The US and the whole world know the facts and reality.
Secretary Blinken is undoubtedly aware that acknowledging the deplorable political situation in Bangladesh, 14 leading Congress members on July 27, 2023, requested the United Nations, through Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, among other steps, to conduct the all-important next election in the country in the presence of an international peacekeeping force.
Dear Sir, CHRD Bangladesh humbly solicits your kind support to the recommendation of the bipartisan US House of Representative members for an UN-led neutral authority to conduct the next election in Bangladesh. At the minimum, it must be held under an indigenous neutral, nonpartisan caretaker administration. Let the Awami League return to power, if elected by the people of Bangladesh, under such a neutral CTG.
If the Hasina government is allowed to host the next election, under whatever pretext and promise, the result will be a forgone conclusion: a replay of 2014 or 2018 scenario. The people of Bangladesh will never see the benefits of human rights, democracy, freedom, and good governance that the Biden administration so forcefully propagates and tries to ensure in the country.
Sincerely,
The Coalition for Human Rights & Democracy in Bangladesh