Diplomatic Correspondent :
The newly appointed US Ambassador in Dhaka Earl Robert Miller on Tuesday said, his country encourages all to participate in the democratic and electoral process and to avoid violence.
All political parties are hopeful of a democratic election. The US encourages a free, fair, credible, participatory and peaceful election, the US ambassador told reporters after a meeting with a BNP delegation at its Chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Tuesday.
BNP leaders Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Ameer Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Abdul Awal Mintoo were present, among others in the meeting.
The meeting began at 12:50 pm and ended at 1:10pm.
Miller said, “We are concerned about the reports of violence. We all must avoid violence and we all must condemn violence that we have had discussed with BNP leaders and we agreed on many points. I also encourage everyone to participate in democratic and electoral process.”
He said, the system simply cannot work if everyone doesn’t have access to the playing field and entry to polls. I encourage everyone to go out and to campaign fully and freely and participate in the December 30 election. “We must eschew violence of any form,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Robert Miller hoped that the 11th Parliamentary election scheduled to be held on December 30 would be free, fair, credible and peaceful.
Robert Miller also said his country will send 32 US election observers during the election in Bangladesh and it will arrange a total of 11 teams in this regard.
