In the aftermath of Bangladesh’s recent general elections, the United States voiced concern over the apparent lack of fairness in the polls. The U.S. State Department, in a statement on Monday, acknowledged reports of irregularities and condemned the violence that marred the electoral process. Despite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina securing a fourth consecutive term, winning nearly 75% of the seats, the U.S. expressed dismay over the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) boycott and the low voter turnout.
A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department emphasized their unease about the arrests of thousands of political opposition members and affirmed the shared perspective with other observers that the elections were neither free nor fair. The statement lamented the non-participation of all parties and underscored ongoing concerns regarding the legitimacy of the electoral process. The ruling Awami League’s victory, gaining 222 seats out of 298, has raised alarms among rights groups about potential one-party rule in Bangladesh.
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On another front, the democratic situation in Pakistan remains in limbo after the alleged U.S. intervention led to the ouster of Imran Khan in April 2022. Despite a scheduled general election in November 2023, political turmoil has delayed the democratic process. The election date has been rescheduled for February, but analysts express skepticism, predicting either further postponements or potential rigging. Imran Khan and his supporters face illegal persecution within the country’s legal system amidst the political chaos. Interestingly, when pressed for comments, the United States categorizes these human rights and democracy concerns as “internal problems of Pakistan” and says that the U.S is not supposed to dictate “exact specifics” to Pakistan for holding national elections.
Amidst the human rights violations and manipulation of the legal system that are granting a clean slate to former PM Nawaz Sharif and his family, despite their proven corruption in numerous cases, not a single condemnation has been received by the United States State Department.