International election monitors were forced to cancel their trip to Bangladesh as the government was unable to grant visas in time for the Dec 30 elections, said the US State Department.
Expressing “disappointment” at the government’s inability to grant credentials and visas to international observers, the United States government has urged Bangladesh to uphold its commitment to a democratic process by “ensuring all Bangladeshis are free to peacefully express themselves and participate in Dec 30 election”.
In a statement issued on Friday, the US State Department said the majority of international election monitors from the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), which the United States funded through the National Democratic Institute, could not get their visas within the timeframe necessary to conduct a credible international monitoring mission.
“As a result, ANFREL was forced to cancel its observation mission for the December 30 national election,” said the State department’s deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino.
He said the lack of an international observation mission makes it even more important for the Bangladeshi government to complete the accreditation of all the local NGOs that constitute the Election Working Group, which includes some funded by USAID, so they can conduct the vital work of monitoring the election.
Bangladesh has seen steady economic growth under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the development of a vibrant garment sector underpinning export growth, and accounting for 80 percent of the economy. But rights groups have criticised increasing curbs on freedom of speech and the media.
In her manifesto, Prime Minister Hasina has promised to hold a free and fair election.
“We do not want a politics of division, violence, arson, obstruction or unrest. We want a democratic environment for a free and fair election. We want to ensure the participation of all to reach a national consensus," she said.
The United States had announced in early December that it will be sending its own election observers to support local observers for a free and fair election on December 30.
In cooperation with UK and Switzerland, the US is also funding 15,000 local election observers working with the Election Working Group, a consortium of civil societies’ organisations.
“There must be space for peaceful expression and assembly; for independent media to do its job covering electoral developments; for participants to have access to information; and for all individuals to be able to partake in the electoral process without harassment, intimidation, or violence,” it said in its statement.