US Says Bangladesh Elections Were Not Free and Fair

BY A STAFF REPORTER: The United States agrees that this weekend's elections in Bangladesh were not free and fair, and Washington is concerned by reports of vote irregularities and condemns the violence, the State Department said on Monday.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina swept to power for a fourth consecutive term and her party won nearly 75 percent of the seats in Sunday's general election. But the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the vote and voter turnout was low.

"The United States is concerned by reports of thousands of arrests and irregularities by members of the political opposition on election day," a State Department spokesman said on Monday. The United States agrees with other observers that these elections were not free or fair, and we regret that not all parties participated. '