US Ambassador Peter Haas on Tuesday said the United States will be sending a pre-election assessment and monitoring team in early October to assess the situation ahead of Bangladesh's next parliamentary election.
"I informed him [chief election commissioner] that in early October, US will be sending a pre-election assessment and monitoring team comprising experts from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute, with vast experience in election monitoring and election preparation."
Haas spoke to reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal at the Election Commission office in Dhaka.
"I will repeat what you heard me say before, that the United States' only interest in the elections is they be free, fair and peaceful and that the people of Bangladesh have the ability to choose who governs them," he said.
"In the United States, when other countries raise issues with us about our domestic political affairs, we listen to them and we see what we can learn from them. We do not view it as a violation," he added.
