Holding a general election comes to the focus of the US administration’s engagements with the interim government formed following the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5.
With Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus taking the charge as the chief adviser, the relations with Washington took a new turn.
He met President Joe Biden in a rare meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also called on him. Besides, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin had a bilateral visit in Washington when he met senior officials of the White House and the state department.
From Washington, a high-level delegation with Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu visited Bangladesh on September 15. Another high-level delegation will be visiting Bangladesh in coming weeks.
Key areas of discussion included economic collaboration, counterterrorism efforts, democratic reforms, and responses to the Rohingya crisis.
Sources at the foreign ministry, however, indicated that Washington also inquired about the government's thoughts on the elections.
They believe that transferring power through elections as soon as possible would be beneficial for the interim government which is as of now enjoying support both domestically and internationally.
However, there is a concern that this support may diminish the longer the process takes. The US also takes interest in the interim government’s reform agendas but emphasized the need for the government to share its plans based on these reports.
State Department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller after the meeting in September said Secretary Blinken and the Chief Advisor affirmed their shared vision of deepening the United States-Bangladesh partnership.
“The secretary underscored US support and assistance for the interim government as it guides the country towards economic stability and highlighted the importance of reforms to ensure continued foreign direct investment. He also indicated US support for free and fair elections, which will chart an inclusive, democratic, and equitable future for all Bangladeshis.,” Miller had said.
Foreign policy experts told Dhaka Tribune that it is natural that the US would want an elected government in Bangladesh for its long-term engagement.
Professor of International Relations Dr Imtiaz Ahmed said that the US and the EU have no option but to see an elected government in place for their engagements.
“It’s ingrained in their system. They have structured their policies in a way that prevents them from engaging with an unelected government for long. They may allow a certain period, but not for an extended time. The EU has no options because the European Parliament, European Commission, and civil society bodies always hold the internal system accountable. In the US, the president has some prerogatives, but these are mostly used for arms trade. For any new agreement or investment, they will want to see an elected government,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
“They cannot work with a non-elected government for long. They need a timeline. Right now, there are no new agreements or investments happening in the country,” he said.
“They agree on the need for reforms, but they understand that any reforms would require the consent of an elected government. They will demand to see these reforms and will want a timeline very soon,” said the professor.
After the November 5 elections, if there is a regime change in the US, there could be a new dimension in relations. Even if the Democrats return to power, they will also ask for an election timeline, he said.
“If you remember the 1/11 period (the military-backed caretaker government from 2006 to 2008), it was the US that first called for elections. Then there was an issue of fraudulent voters and the introduction of the NID. The then-government replied that they would hold elections immediately after completing the NID, and they did. With that timeline, they conducted the elections.”
Former ambassador Humayun Kabir told Dhaka Tribune that he does not see any inconsistency in the US position.
“They are speaking consistently. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his meeting with the chief adviser in New York, also discussed the elections.”
“The US views elections as essential for the continuation of the democratic process. They have stated this before, and they continue to emphasize it now. They also support reforms. Without reform, we will face significant challenges down the line, and people will lose confidence in institutions. So, they are advocating for both,” he said.
The former ambassador who also served in Washington in his career, however, believes there won’t be a significant difference in the US position after their own elections on November 5.
“Both administrations will express similar views. They want reform, alongside a democratic process through elections. It’s not a matter of one or the other.”
He emphasized that all parties should contribute to the reform process. “If political parties do not change, the same issues will arise again. The younger generation now wants to see transparency and accountability. Any political party that hopes to govern in the future must ensure this.
“If they ignore reform, they will face the same consequences,” he warned.
The former ambassador also pointed out that there are currently no functional institutions.
“If we had a solid system in place, things would run smoothly, regardless of who is in charge. Unfortunately, that’s not happening in our country. We are in a precarious situation; if we slip, we could fall into a massive crisis. I think political parties need to understand this.”