July 31,
20231:04 PM PDTUpdated 8 hours ago
Supporters of Bangladesh
Nationalist Party (BNP) chant slogans during a rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan,
as part of a nationwide protest against attack on sit-in programmes in the
capital Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 31, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain
WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) - The United States is
concerned about reports of intimidation and political violence during protests in Bangladesh over
the weekend against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, State Department spokesperson
Matthew Miller said on Monday.
Police on Saturday fired rubber bullets and tear gas
at stone-throwing opposition party supporters, who called for Hasina to step
down and for elections due in January to be held under a neutral caretaker
government.
"We encourage the government of Bangladesh to
investigate reports of violence thoroughly, transparently and impartially, and
to hold the perpetrators of violence to account," Miller said.
Miller urged Bangladesh to create a safe environment
for people to peacefully assemble and for all parties to "refrain from
violence, harassment and intimidation," noting the upcoming elections.
"Free and fair elections depend on the commitment
of everyone - voters, political parties, youth wings, and police, and cannot
take place in an environment of political violence," he said.
In May, Washington said it would restrict visas for
Bangladeshis who undermine the democratic process at home, after accusations of
vote-rigging and suppressing the opposition marred elections in 2014 and 2018.
Hasina's government has denied the charges.
Hasina, who has maintained tight control since coming
to power in 2009, has been accused of authoritarianism, human rights
violations, cracking down on free speech and suppressing dissent while jailing
her critics.
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