Congress of Bangladeshi Americans Inc. has written to Congressman Barry Moore and urged him to stand beside the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, reports UNB.
"Bangladesh, a true ally of the war on terror under the current government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, needs our support not reprehension, need our assistance not condemnation," they said.
A total of 267 Bangladeshi expats living in the US requested him to stand with the people of Bangladesh and recognise and support the state authorities’ sincere approach and actions to conduct a free and fair election.
They drew Barry Moore’s attention to a letter from six congressmen sent to US President Joe Biden dated May 17, 2023 and challenged the authenticity of its content.
They said the international community and the US have every reason to see Bangladesh as a constructive and democratic partner in South Asia.
“Bangladesh was named the most corrupt country in the world for five consecutive years during the BNP-Jamaat government,” they mentioned.
“Since the Awami League formed the government, corruption has declined,” they observed in the letter.
However, corruption was so deeply rooted during the military regimes led by BNP founder General Ziaur Rahman and the consecutive military ruler that it is going to take a continuous process to wipe it out, they said.
Bangladesh is still struggling to come out of the damage and destruction done to its democratic institutions, norms, and values by military rulers Gen Ziaur Rahman and his military predecessor who imposed martial law for too long and used religion to divide and rule its citizens, the letter reads.
“From our history we know, rebuilding the democratic process is not an easy task and Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League government are trying their best to restore democracy to an international standard. Democracy has no Aladdin’s magic lamp, but surely Bangladesh has shown a huge improvement,” they observed in the letter.
“State-sponsored killing of members of the armed forces, journalists, political leaders, and civil society members was frequent during the BNP-Jamaat government,” the letter reads.
They said the current government is making an all-out effort to build a democratic civilized society where laws will follow due process.
If the BNP-Jamaat alliance can form any future government in Bangladesh, it will carry out the unfinished agenda against Indian and US interests in the region, they said.
"We should not forget, during the last government of BNP-Jamaat Islamist alliance from 2001 to 2006, Bangladesh became the unholy playground of Islamist terrorists and their training ground, and headquarters for separatist militants from northeastern India," according to the letter.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
