Washington is no longer interested in interfering in domestic politics in Bangladesh, says the US envoy.
“We can’t want something more than the host country wants, the people want,” Ambassador Marcia Bernicat said at her departing press conference on Tuesday.
After serving here for almost four years, Bernicat will be leaving for Washington on Friday, two months before the national election.
About the past she said, “I know from our history and I know from my previous ambassadors that people gathered in my living room (US ambassador’s residence) to workout political deals. I think that’s a rotten idea.
“It may work for the time or may not have, I cannot go back and correct history”, she said.
Brokering deals holds back democratic development, added Bernicat.
She described the planned talks between the ruling Awami League and recently formed coalition Jatiya Oikya Front as a very positive development before adding: “Talking is not a bad thing but, not listening is a bad thing and that’s why dialogue is helpful.
“Did we broker it? We did not, which is the best part as far as I am concern.”
She said that no Dhaka-based diplomats called for dialogue, “not specifically but we called for free and fair election”.
Bernicat said when she first came to Dhaka almost four years ago Bangladesh was crippled with hartal (general strikes), blockades and people were dying in violence.
“A group of ambassadors, many of us got together to try and broker a peace between the two parties but, again we figured out, we the United States, in some cases, it is very difficult lesson that we can’t want something more than the host country wants, the people want.”
The ambassador said they are all anxiously waiting for the Bangladesh Election Commission’s announcement of the schedule for the upcoming general election.
“The United States looks forward to the government of Bangladesh to fulfill its commitment to hold free, fair, credible and participatory election.”
She, however, said, “In order to have a credible election, there must be a credible opposition.”
In order to do so, parties must be able to participate freely in the process and without intimidation, added the US envoy.
About the perception of supporting a particular group, she said, Washington does not support any particular candidate or party or coalition. “We are supporting the democratic process.”