What the US said about new sanctions on Bangladesh

The United States has not put any new sanctions on Bangladesh, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller has stated.

"I do not have any new sanctions to announce today. It is our longstanding practice not to preview sanctions actions before we take them," he said in response to a question from a journalist at a press briefing on Wednesday (December 13).

Miller was earlier asked about whether the US plans to request the Bangladesh government to allow BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to receive treatment abroad. To this query, Miller said, "Let me take that question back and get an answer."

The issue of fake news, fake videos, and using artificial intelligence tools in the context of the upcoming election also arose at the briefing.

"So we have seen the concerning news of deep fakes in election-related disinformation in Bangladesh. It’s part of a worrying trend around the globe of using AI to manipulate and influence democratic processes," Miller said on the matter.

Mentioning that the US is deeply concerned by the reports of mass arrests of thousands of opposition members and reports of torture in prison, Miller said, "We urge all sides to exercise restraint and avoid violence. We urge the Government of Bangladesh to work with all stakeholders to create conditions in which all may participate in the pre-election and election environment freely, without fear of violence or retribution.

"It is our belief that a healthy democracy benefits from a variety of voices speaking freely, engaged in dialogue and discussion in an exchange about the issues of the day."

/KN/