US welcomes poll plan by Bangladesh

DHAKA: The US welcomed the Bangladesh interim govt's announcement regarding the next national elections and said it would advocate for "free and fair" polls conducted in a "peaceful" manner. "So, we appreciate the steps that have been taken by the interim govt to prepare for elections that will ultimately allow the Bangladeshi people to choose their own govt representatives," said US principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel while responding to a question during a regular briefing at the US state department on Dec 18.

Patel added that this is something they will continue to monitor in terms of timing. "And of course we're going to encourage respect for the rule of law throughout this process, as well as respect for democratic principles, should a transition come to fruition," he said. "And as we would throughout the world, we would advocate for free and fair elections conducted in a peaceful manner," he added.