The Honorable Joseph R. Biden
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
July 20, 2023
Subject: Appeal From The Bangladeshi Diaspora Living In Exile
In the midst of confronting dire political crises in Bangladesh, this is a calling for all patriotic forces to stand up to defend their motherland. In doing so, we need the support of the United States of America and other international stakeholders’ support in favor of the majority population.
Dear President Biden,
We, the Bangladeshi diaspora, who were forced to leave our country due to threats, express our solemn concerns about the very sovereignty and freedom of the country that stands at a high stake from the defeating fascist fit, where even a simple criticism is not tolerated.
The Digital Security Act (DSA) of 2018, budges in, like many discriminating and anti-people laws presently existing in favor of the ruling party. Many, including an 18-year-old girl, are still languishing in prison for long periods pf time, merely for asking a question during a talk-show that goes against the ruling government. The country is either held hostage or has surrendered to the quirks of the ruling regime, — people are finding no choices. The last resort for a citizen is the Judiciary, which too has been randomly politicized. Judges are directed by the Prime Minister’s office in terms of the judgments they discharge, often judged through the government’s partisan prejudices.
The duplicitous deceitfulness of the present administration (emboldened by regional interest quarters) is always beset to split the unity and solidarity of the patriotic forces which are either in exile, or those somehow surviving within the country. They do so despite intimidation using State organs (run by tax-payers money). The government uses its cronies’ partisan hooligans, causing the citizens of the country to fight hard to be steadfast and vigilant against all these manipulations and conspiracies of the present Awami League regime allied with its backers.
It has defiantly been witnessed with alarming concern that the ruling government (with support from its benefactor), has set up a design to stage-manage the upcoming elections (more severely than the other 3 past elections). The Awami League usually uses three to four layers for administrative and other (including the voters list) cover-ups, techniques it will undoubtedly use to frantically win the elections in 2024. The ruling party plans to hold on to power with its anti-state hidden agendas from hegemonic aspirations.
The Bangladesh government has displayed no heed to people’s right to vote, their democratic and human rights, nor their voices against atrocities committed against them.
While the present government is immersed in duplicity and bottomless corruption, all national resources are plundered, and the Reserve Bank has been gradually emptied with a design. On top of that, inherent values, traditions, customs, and faith that nurtured and built the nation, are being played upon, presumably attending to vested quarter’s gains. Essentially, the very identity of the nation is put on question. The copious indigent population is being deprived and is desperate to get its freedom back.
This is quite evident today, from the gathering of the demonstrations in the hundreds and thousands called by the opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which inevitably only proves the government’s complete isolation from the people of Bangladesh.
The support of the international community for the cause of the people seeing their incarcerated state of affairs, to a large extent, has aided them to express part of their plights and grimaces through attending demonstrations without losing their lives or a major part of their livelihood. Still, people are restricted to even open their mouths, let alone protest against injustices.
Mr. President, your response to the petition in writing or other forms from the plea of the citizens of Bangladesh to lay pressure on the regime are a tremendous help. We are grateful to you. After many years of misrule and injustices, one after another of the ruling party’s misdeeds and criminalities, your administration came up with sanctions against the Rapid Action Battalion, (RAB), a paramilitary force, which had been delegated by the government to silence, kill, disappear innocent people and terrorize the entire nation.
Following the sanctions, the visa restrictions and with the international communities’ strict close watch, the opposition was allowed to hold large rallies and public meetings. But behind the scenes attacks, persecution, lawsuits using the law enforcement agencies, along with their party hoodlums, and using the draconian laws prevailed. There are 400,0000 lawsuits against BNP members alone all over the country from 15,000,000 cases.
The patriotic forces of the country, comprising of most of the the populations’ despondency in the acute economic crises, appeal for added support in these crucial times when the present regime’s desperation knows no bounds. The ruling regime has resorted to the provocation of violence on the streets and two lives were already lost in police triggered violence.
We look to you, Mr. President, for all possible help with the population’s movement to free the country, to get back democracy and human rights and human dignity from the iniquitous fascist rule of a hegemonic domain with a hidden agenda.
Sincerely,
The Coalition for Human Rights & Democracy in Bangladesh on behalf of the victimized Bangladeshi diaspora.
Copies to:
1. Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State
2. U.S. Department of State
3. U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
4. U.S. House Foreign Relations Committee