US not to take sides, ready to work with any elected govt: US ambassador

The newly appointed United States ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent Christensen, has said that the US will not take sides in Bangladesh’s forthcoming parliamentary election.

He further said his country is prepared to work with whichever government is elected by the people of Bangladesh.

The US ambassador made the remarks while speaking to newspersons after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the election commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.

Ambassador Christensen led a delegation to the meeting with the CEC. This was his first meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner since assuming his duties as the US ambassador to Bangladesh.

Speaking to journalists, Christensen said the meeting with the CEC had been constructive. Discussions focused on the 12 February election, and the Chief Election Commissioner briefed him in detail on the policies, preparations and processes undertaken by the interim government as part of election preparations.

The US ambassador also said that as he had stated during his confirmation hearing in the United States Senate, he is enthusiastic about Bangladesh’s upcoming election and is keen to see its outcome.

Christensen also referred to his meeting last week with the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government.

Regarding that meeting, he said the chief adviser had expressed hope that the election would be festive in nature.

The ambassador added that he, too, hopes the election in Bangladesh will be conducted in a festive atmosphere.