The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

US Ambassador James F Moriarty yesterday termed the release of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the process to free the other former premier Begum Khaleda Zia 'a positive development and a good beginning of compromise' towards the national election and opined that this process in anyway should not disrupt the ongoing drive against corruption.

He warned that the foreign, including the US, investment in Bangladesh would be affected in the future, if the current process (of compromise or reconciliation) diminishes the anti-corruption drive.

The US envoy stressed the need for the participation of all political parties in the elections that must be arranged in a free, fair and credible manner.

"It is (Sheikh Hasina's release) a good start ahead of a fair and credible election. But now it should be ensured that all parties are going to participate in the election," Moriarty told journalists in reply to a question on the recent release of Sheikh Hasina, who is now in the US for medical treatment.

"We do want to see further discussions and further compromise that would be necessary for a free, fair and credible election. It is a good start," he added.

He said this, while addressing a press conference on the occasion of completion of the

renovation work of the Consular Section of the US Embassy in Dhaka.

Moriarty expressed the hope that all the complexities regarding the elections would be resolved and the polls would be held within the set time (within December this year).

He reiterated his call for making "compromise" among all the political parties to hold a free and fair election on the basis of understanding (consensus).

Asked whether BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia should also be released like Sheikh Hasina for creating a level-playing field for the elections, Moriarty said, "I don't know what should be the process, but one thing we believe that all the political parties will have to participate in the elections for the sake of democracy."

When requested to clarify the term "compromise", which he used it several times since he took over as the Ambassador in Dhaka, he said, "I always wanted to mean that an election to be participated by all parties on the basis of mutual understanding."

Moriarty continued, "But understanding not only before and during election will be enough for healthy democracy, rather all will have to have a vision and consensus for post-election issues that will ensure political and socio-economic stability in Bangladesh."

He said the USA would continue to extend its support to Bangladesh both in pre-and post-election situations.

Moriarty parried a question, when asked for a comment whether the release of Sheikh Hasina and other top political leaders who were accused of corruption will hamper the mission of Bangladesh to make a corruption-free society.

He, however, hastened to warn, "If Bangladesh fails to prove that corruption does not decrease here regularly, then foreign investors would also lose their interests in making investments in the country."

He said, "We hope, the anti-corruption drives will not to be diminished in future since corruption always has been the biggest barrier to attracting the foreign, even the domestic, investments also."

About the process of Sheikh Hasina's release, Moriarty said the US hoped that all trials in Bangladesh would be done with full justice and transparently.

He said Washington was interested in watching what the next Government would do after holding the ninth parliamentary election.

"We are in favour of holding the election by December. We are watching under what conditions the elections are held and … what conditions will be afterwards," he said.

Moriarty made it clear that the US companies would not invest in Bangladesh if the people within the government demanded bribes.

"Corruption is a big factor in investment decisions. If people within the government, people within the structure running the country receive bribes, the American companies are not allowed to do it," he warned, adding, "If they do it and I find out, I will have to report to the Department of Justice against them."

Stressing the need for continuing the anticorruption drive in a transparent manner, Moriarty said, "Certainly we don't want to see the drive against corruption diminish. We also do hope that there will be a transparent process."

He said corruption charges against the people must be investigated "thoroughly and transparently".

He laid emphasis on lifting the state of emergency before election as, what he said, "it will be difficult to hold a free and fair election under the state of emergency."

Later, Moriarty inaugurated three more windows set up for the visa applicants at the consular section of the US Embassy. The number of windows for visa applicants has now increased to 11 from 8.

He said they want to see that the increasing number of Bangladeshi students are going to the US for studies as they are expected to enrich higher educational institutions in the United States as well as make them better able to contribute economically, culturally and politically to Bangladesh.

He suggested the Bangladeshi visa applicants, especially those for non-immigrant and student visas, to apply early, as the processing of US visa needs at least three months for completion.

Moriarty asked the visa applicants to be careful about the visa brokers and said the US Embassy would continue to cooperate with the security agencies to destroy the groups of visa brokers.