The recent statement by the US State Department calling Bangladesh’s latest election not free and fair is not substantiated by any media or foreign observers who were on the ground during the election.
Rather, it is based on an assessment by a controversial and biased envoy, who was hailed as a friend by the opposition and called biased by civil society.
In a hypocritical stance, the statement condemned violence on people before and during the polls but ignored the pleas of hundreds of these victims who held BNP Jamaat combine responsible for the gloom that descended on their lives.
Unlike any other envoys, the US ambassador was the only one who made over 20 visits to the Election Commission in the run-up to the polls. The same envoy threatened the Bangladesh press with sanctions.
The move was hailed by opposition to stop critical reportage against the party but deemed by civil society as an assault on freedom of the press.
BNP leader Rumeen Farhana threatened journalists and voters with U.S. sanctions but without any condemnation the embassy officials reportedly allowed her to meet with embassy officials.