US under secretary for political affairs Wendy Sherman (L) raises Washington’s concern both at voting irregularities and the BNP’s boycott of polls during a briefing after the plenary session on Friday. Reiterating the calls for investigating ‘irregularities’ in the just-held city polls, Washington has called on Dhaka to make sure that the next election is highly improved.
At the US-Bangladesh partnership dialogue, US under secretary for political affairs Wendy Sherman raised Washington’s concern both at voting irregularities and the BNP’s boycott of polls.
“I think what everyone needs to focus on how transparent investigation of those irregularities making sure that next election is highly improved and that is very important for democracy,” she said during a briefing after the plenary session on Friday.
Asked if she raised the issue of city polls with the Bangladesh authorities, Wendy Sherman said, “Yes we discussed this morning [and] also yesterday (Thursday).”
She mentioned that she talked on the election issue when she met the prime minister.
“I must say that everyone is very forthright about the concern of irregularities in the voting. And we are also concerned about the opposition party dropping out of the election as the day going on,” the US official said.
In her statement, she said: “We remain focused on long term solutions that accommodates all parties and allows the Bangladeshi people to peacefully express their views.”
Wendy Sherman led the US side while foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque led the home side at the fourth partnership dialogue held at state guest house Padma. They briefed newsmen at the state guest house Meghna.
Courtesy: Prothom Alo
