All political parties must avoid resorting to violence to ensure a proper electoral process, US ambassador Earl Robert Miller has said.

His remarks came on Wednesday (Dec 19) in response to a media query after meeting with Jatiya Oikya Front leaders at a Gulshan Hotel.

“It’s the Election Commission’s (EC) responsibility to hold violence-free polls and they will take measures accordingly,” said the US envoy.

On his country’s stance on the upcoming polls, Miller said, “Our statement is the same as what we said yesterday after meeting BNP.”

 “We have learned about incidents of violence centring the election campaigns and we are concerned. All parties should shun violence and we condemn any such incident.” he said after meeting BNP leaders on Tuesday (Dec 18),

Miller also said that his country wants a free, fair, participatory and peaceful election.

Oikya Front chief Dr Kamal Hossain briefed the US envoy about the pre-polls violence and their concerns over a fair election.

BNP’s special secretary on international affairs Asaduzzaman Ripon said that they have handed an English version of the Oikya Front’s manifesto to the diplomats.

“We briefed the diplomats about our goals, which we laid out in the manifesto. We have also told them how we are being harassed with attacks, false cases and indiscriminate arrests,” said Ripon.

BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, executive committee member Tabith Awal, Gano Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury and Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury were present in the meeting attended by diplomats from 35 countries including UK, China, Japan, Canada, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and the European Union’s Dhaka mission.