US reaffirms call for free, fair and peaceful elections: Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter
Afreen Akhter also discussed the Rohingya crisis and might also visit Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps during the visit
The United States reaffirmed its wish for free and fair and peaceful elections in Bangladesh, said US Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter today.
The US deputy assistant secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs arrived in Dhaka today and held a meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen to discuss issues of mutual interest, including elections.
"We discussed our strong multifaceted bilateral relationship and its many aspects: US direct investment and trade, our longstanding development partnership, the Middle East, the recent visit of the independent and non-partisan election survey team, supporting Rohingya refugees and government efforts to ensure the people of Bangladesh cast their votes in free, fair and peaceful elections," the US Embassy in Dhaka said in a Facebook post after the meeting on Monday.
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They discussed the "strong multifaceted" bilateral relationship between the two countries and its many aspects, reports UNB.
The US direct investment and trade, longstanding development partnership, the Middle East, the recent visit of the independent and nonpartisan election survey team, and supporting Rohingya refugees came up for discussion.
They also discussed government efforts to ensure the people of Bangladesh cast their votes in free, fair and peaceful elections.
In Colombo recently, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen already briefed her about the preparations for the next national elections that the government wants to see free and fair.
Responding to a question, Momen recently said Afreen Akhter's visit is mainly to discuss two issues – Rohingya crisis and Bangladesh elections.
He said the US also wants to see free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
Momen, however, said the government can not guarantee an election free from violence if all parties do not show sincerity.
He also conveyed to Akhter that Bangladeshis are not like Americans and that people in Bangladesh cast their votes with much enthusiasm. "It's a festival here. It's totally a different scenario in Bangladesh," Momen said.
She might also visit Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps during the visit.
Akhter looks after issues in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives, as well as the Office of Security and Transnational Affairs.
She was the National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser to US Senator Chris Van Hollen.
She visited Dhaka in May this year.
