A delegation led by Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday attended a closed-door meeting followed by lunch at the residence of the US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, where the Awami League leaders were served beef Kala Bhuna, a special and traditional dish of Bangladesh, and had a candid discussion about the next national parliament election of Bangladesh, trade, people to people relations, and security cooperation between Dhaka and Washington.
Awami League Presidium Member Faruk Khan, International Affairs Secretary Shammi Ahmed, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Information Secretary Selim Mahmud, and Central Working Committee Member Mohammad A Arafat went to the US ambassador's house at 12:15pm to attend the scheduled lunch. They spent more than two hours there, according to the several sources who attended the event. The full team of the US Embassy's political section were also present there.
While talking with Dhaka Tribune, several members of the delegations of Awami League said it was a warm and candid discussion where they talked about the next national election's preparations, the caretaker government issue, comfort for BNP, the US government's report on the state of human rights in Bangladesh, political dialogue before the election, the right to assembly and rally, and many other domestic and international issues.
Twitter/U.S. Embassy DhakaFollowing another program, Obaidul Quader said he told US Ambassador Peter Haas that the upcoming national elections will not take place under a caretaker government.
“I told the US ambassador today (Wednesday) that the caretaker government system will not return to this country,” said Quader at TSC Auditorium of Dhaka University on Wednesday afternoon, after the meeting with the US ambassador in Bangladesh.
Meeting insiders said the US diplomats want an inclusive, free, fair, and participatory national election where the politicians of Bangladesh will decide the electoral process and people will decide the ruling party through their votes.
Awami League leaders said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants a participatory and credible national polls as well.
The US envoy expressed concern about the freedom to hold rallies and assemblies for the opposition before the elections.
The Awami League delegation replied that during the election time, the Election Commission will run the administrative works and right now BNP and other political parties are holding their political programs without any interruption.
Ambassador Haas met with Minister Obaidul Quader, Awami League General Secretary, and discussed free and fair elections in Bangladesh and the range of important work the United States and Bangladesh share, from trade, to people-to-people ties, to security cooperation. pic.twitter.com/jfwIRgosEJ
— U.S. Embassy Dhaka (@usembassydhaka) March 22, 2023
Awami League leaders also said that they have reformed the Election Commission and under this commission each and every election has been performed fairly, and it will be the same in the national polls.
When the US diplomats asked for a comfort zone for the opposition, the Awami League leaders replied that BNP has all rights and the government is not creating any obstacles for them, but when BNP was in power they launched a grenade attack on Awami League leaders in broad daylight.
Regarding the political dialogue, Awami League leaders said they have initiated several attempts for dialogue and they want a good relationship with all parties, but it is BNP who did not attend any dialogue with the president, the EC and even Awami league central council after getting invitations.
Regarding the recent US government report on the state of human rights in Bangladesh, Awami League leaders asked for some clarifications.
Twitter/U.S. Embassy DhakaThe US diplomats and the envoy said they will convey the message to Washington as they were not aware of this report, according to Awami League leaders.
They also discussed the range of important work the United States and Bangladesh share, from trade to people-to-people ties and security cooperation.