US to continue unwavering support for freedom of peaceful assembly

The United States has reiterated the country’s unwavering support for the freedom of peaceful assembly in Bangladesh. It has also called for a lasting and peaceful resolution to the current situation.

Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State, said this when a journalist asked him a question on the ongoing situation in Bangladesh centering the job quota reform movement in a regular press briefing on Monday.

The newsperson asked how he views the role of Bangladeshi law enforcers’ agencies in running a witch hunt against innocent young people, shooting them, and forcing key student organisers to give statements after being tortured while in custody, which are then circulated by the controlled media, especially when this shows visible torture marks?

Patel said, “As it relates to Bangladesh, both in public and private we continue to call for a lasting and peaceful resolution to the current situation, and we reiterate our unwavering support for the freedom of peaceful assembly. We’re aware of some restoration of telecommunications across Bangladesh, but we are calling for a full and undisrupted public access to internet and social media services. This will enable people in Bangladesh – including our very own American citizens – to be able to access critical information.”

In another question, the newsperson said he has seen numerous members of the House of Representatives and senators expressing concern in solidarity with the student protest in Bangladesh. Congressman Lloyd Doggett said the Biden administration [must] act boldly against this repression. What is your response?

To this question, Vedant Patel said, “We of course support all efforts for those who want to peacefully protest. And as it relates to engagement with Congress, I’m not going to speak to specific correspondence, but we of course continue to be deeply responsive to any questions our colleagues in the Congress may have.”