US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has said the United States
will not take any sides in the upcoming elections in Bangladesh and reiterated
US commitment across the world to help countries strengthen democracy.
“Let me be clear, the United States will not pick a side in
the upcoming elections. We simply hope for a democratic process that allows the
Bangladeshi people to freely decide who will run their country,” said the
ambassador.
He made the remarks while addressing a seminar.
Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies
(BIISS) organized the seminar on “Bangladesh and the United States Relations:
Moving Towards Enhanced Cooperation and Partnership” at the BIISS Auditorium.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen spoke as the Chief Guest.
The US ambassador said the relations between the two
countries grew with a series of recent engagements while two more important
engagements will be held in the coming months.
Ambassador Haas said the two countries can enhance security
cooperation.
The ambassador also talked about two proposed agreements –
General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and Acquisition and
Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) which are essential” to enabling a closer defence
relationship, expanding opportunities for defence trade, information sharing,
and military-to-military cooperation between two countries.
He said there are many misperceptions about these two
proposed agreements.
The US Ambassador also said, “There is no scope for
repealing the sanctions against Rab, without concrete actions and accountability.”
“We want to see a Rab which is capable of combating
terrorism but which is also capable of respecting basic human rights,” said
Haas.
Just prior to his remark Rab Director General Chowdhury
Abdullah Al-Mamun spoke about how Rab had established an internal inquiry cell
to ensure accountability of Rab personnel in 2011, with US cooperation.
He said that under the International Criminal Investigative
Training Assistance Program, a total of 147 Rab personnel have been trained on
basic interviewing skills and human rights.
“The trained personnel have been distributed across Rab to
ensure transparency and uphold human rights credentials,” said the Rab DG.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, also present at the event,
commented that it was the former US Ambassador James F Moriarty who had called
Rab the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) of Bangladesh.
“Rab has since then done an excellent job at combating
terrorism. Maybe we have to look at it more closely to see how to increase
accountability…but this is a great institution,” said Momen.
“Let us have a road – you tell me where the gap is and we
will try to work with you,” he said.
Peter Haas also said that the Rab sanctions do not mean that
the US and Bangladesh will not continue strong law enforcement security cooperation.
“We will continue to work with Bangladesh to combat violent
terrorism, combat transnational crime and enhance security. We will continue
our support to the transnational crime police and to the anti-terrorism unit
and the specialized police units in Chattogram, Sylhet and Rajshahi. The
signing of a proposed memorandum of agreement would facilitate our assistance
training program and to donate new equipment to the police,” said Haas.
He also said, “The US is not perfect. We have embarked on
our own democratic renewal. This journey ensures tackling our own issues with
police accountability. We are inviting other countries in the world to make
similar commitments.”
“Holding an election consistent with international standards
is not just about ballot day – truly fair elections involve creating a space
where civic discourse can take place, where journalists can investigate without
fear, and the ability of the civil society institutions to advocate. In
Bangladesh the elections have already started,” said Haas. He welcomed the law
minister’s commitment to reform the DSA to prevent abuse of the law.
Momen responded to Haas’ comment about holding impartial
elections by saying, “You are most welcome to come with your observers. We want
to see and improve.”
The US ambassador also spoke about the need for signing two
defence treaties called ACSA and GSOMIA that are foundational agreements for
defence trade and cooperation.
He called the treaties “building blocks”. GSOMIA would set
the ground rule for exchanging sensitive data about military operations, said
Haas, while ACSA will allow exchange of fuel and food.
He said that they are not like the “broad vague defence
agreement that Bangladesh signed with China in 2002”, referring to the
“China-Bangladesh Defence Cooperation Agreement” which covers military training
and defence production.
Haas also said that Bangladesh is not being able to capitalize
on US relations because of labour rights violations.
“The DFC (US International Development Finance Corporation)
has a US$4 billion active portfolio in South Asia across multiple sectors
including clean energy, healthcare and agriculture. The DFC cannot operate in
Bangladesh because of a lack of labour rights,” he said.
He added that the embassy will include the first full-time
attache from the US department of commerce this summer, to increase two-way
trade and investment.
Former ambassador Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, Chairman of BIISS,
led the event, while former ambassadors Humayun Kabir, Tariq A. Karim, former
election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain, Director Gneral of
BIIS Maj Gen Mohammad Masudur Rahman and Dhaka University professor Ruksana
Kibria also spoke at the event.