U.S. Congress Raises Concerns Over Party Suspension in Letter to Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser

Five lawmakers of the United States have written a letter to Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government. In the letter, they said that it is extremely important for the interim government to work with all political parties to ensure the holding of a free and fair national election in an environment of freedom and fairness next February.

The letter was written yesterday, Tuesday, to Professor Muhammad Yunus by members of the lower house of the U.S. Parliament, the House of Representatives (Congressmen) Gregory W. Meeks, Bill Huizenga, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Julie Johnson, and Tom R. Suozzi.

Among the members of Congress, Gregory W. Meeks is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Bill Huizenga and Sydney Kamlager-Dove are respectively the Chairman and a member of the House Subcommittee on South and Central Asia. The letter was published yesterday on the website of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Addressing the Chief Adviser, the U.S. lawmakers wrote, “We welcome your willingness to step forward to lead an interim government during this moment of national crisis for Bangladesh.”

The members of Congress wrote, “At this time of political crisis, it is extremely important for the interim government to work with political parties, because this can help create an environment for free and fair elections. This, in turn, will assist the people of the country in peacefully expressing their opinions through the ballot box. At the same time, it will play a role in necessary reforms to restore confidence in the integrity and nonpartisanship of state institutions. However, we are concerned that if the government suspends the activities of political parties or revives a flawed International Crimes Tribunal, such actions should not be taken.”

The U.S. lawmakers wrote, “Freedom of association and accountability for criminal acts are individual, not collective—this is a fundamental human right. Therefore, our concern is that a decision to completely suspend the activities of an entire political party, instead of focusing on individuals involved in crimes or serious human rights violations through due process of law, is not consistent with these principles.”

The U.S. lawmakers also expressed hope in the letter that your government or the subsequently elected government will reconsider this decision (to suspend the activities of political parties). In the letter, they wrote that the people of Bangladesh have the right to choose a government through a free and fair election with the participation of all political parties that represent them.