Last Updated: September 03, 2023, 13:52 IST
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina said that there are many people who became nervous seeing the opposition’s anti-government movement or imposition of sanctions. (Reuters File Photo)
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rejects US sanctions threats ahead of vital elections, emphasising her commitment to sovereignty
In an apparent reference to the United States, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has rebuffed sanctions threats ahead of general elections, asserting that nothing could be gained by threatening to oust her government and imposing visa restrictions.
“Let me tell you clearly, this is our soil, we liberated the country under the leadership of the Father of the Nation, you cannot achieve anything by threatening us. People of Bangladesh know how to realize their rights,” she was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune newspaper. She made the remarks while speaking at a rally in the capital city of Dhaka after the inauguration of the expressway.
PM Hasina said that there are many people who became nervous seeing the opposition’s anti-government movement or imposition of sanctions and visa sanction threats. “There are many who do not see democracy in the country, they wanted to salvage democracy,” she said.
Tensions have escalated between Washington and Dhaka due to the former’s concerns over the human rights record of the Awami League government in the wake of recent political violence. Bangladesh, in response, has accused the US of interference in its domestic affairs.
The forthcoming general elections slated for January 2024 hold considerable importance not only for the country but the entire region. Bangladesh’s geopolitical significance is a crucial link between South Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East. The results of the elections are poised to reverberate not only within Bangladesh but also in the wider region, exerting political and economic repercussions across borders.
Meanwhile, the US government has asked for free and fair parliamentary polls and threatened to impose visa sanctions against anyone who engages in election rigging. Experts believe that these strained ties present an opening for China to extend its influence in South Asia by providing substantial investments and loans.
Washington stressed that political violence does not have a place in a democracy and that it favours no political party. The Biden administration also expressed concern about reports of intimidation and political violence during protests in the country. “We encourage the government of Bangladesh to investigate reports of violence thoroughly, transparently and impartially, and to hold the perpetrators of violence to account,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on July 31.
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