Democracy is at the centre of the US foreign policy and Washington will continue to engage with the Bangladesh government to advance democratic principles, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has said.
He was replying to a question at the State Department's regular briefing on Tuesday.
"I will say with respect to Bangladesh, democracy – as we have said any number of times as it pertains to Bangladesh and others – advances peace, prosperity and security.
“It is at the centre of the United States’s foreign policy and we continue to engage with the Bangladeshi government to advance democratic principles, which are key to ensuring peace and prosperity for all Bangladeshis," he said.
"The Wall Street Journal reports India’s inclusion in a Canadian inquiry on Bangladesh on election interference, aligning with China and Russia. India’s involvement has also surfaced in Bangladesh election interference to keep Sheikh Hasina in power,” a reporter said during the briefing, asking Miller to comment.
The spokesperson did not reply to the query, saying: "That’s a matter for Canada to speak to."
Replying to a question on the human rights situation and the arrest of opposition leaders, the spokesperson reiterated the State Department's concern about the last general election and said: "We did not find them free and fair. We have also expressed our concerns with the arrest of thousands of political opposition members in the run-up to those elections."
"I will say two things. One, we urge the Bangladeshi government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for all of the arrested individuals. We also urge the Bangladeshi government to allow opposition members and media professionals, civil society representatives, to participate meaningfully in the country’s democratic process and civic life, and we will continue to engage with the Bangladeshi government to advance that point of view."