During a press briefing on Monday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed support for peaceful protests when asked about the current situation in Bangladesh.
An Indian journalist raised concerns about attacks on Awami League rallies and other issues involving minorities, women, and journalists.
The journalist said there have been worrying reports of attacks on Awami League rallies, including violence against women and minorities, and the arrest of journalists.
She also mentioned that critics of Bangladesh’s interim government believe the recent student protests are taking the country back to its earlier struggles.
Referring to previous comments from U.S. Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, she asked if the U.S. had spoken with Bangladesh’s interim government about these incidents.
In response, Miller said he would not reveal any specific discussions with Bangladesh but emphasized that the U.S. supports peaceful protests and opposes any violent crackdown on such demonstrations.
He made it clear that this is the U.S.`s general stance with all countries.
The journalist also brought up the issue of Bangladesh possibly removing the word "secularism" from its constitution, as proposed by the Attorney General of Bangladesh.
She noted that attacks on religious minorities are increasing and asked if the U.S. had any comments on this.
Miller acknowledged the concern and said he would take note of the situation to see if there was anything more the U.S. had to say on the matter.
The press briefing highlighted the U.S. government`s position of supporting peaceful protests and their close attention to ongoing issues in Bangladesh.