Washington: The U.S has said it will curtail aid that directly benefit Bangladeshi politicians. Addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Nisha Biswal, reiterated the U.S calls for new elections after a January 5 vote was boycotted by the Opposition.
Bangladeshi politics have been divided for decades by an intense, personal rivalry between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia. The assistant secretary of state for South Asia, Biswal, said,†None of the economic gains, or development gains, in Bangladesh can be sustained if there’s not the transparent, accountable institutions to form the bedrockâ€.
The U.S will aim to direct its assistance towards improving labour rights and making the judiciary more effective.