US says disappointed in boycott, violence ahead of B'desh vote

The United States has expressed "disappointment" over an opposition boycott of upcoming parliamentary polls in Bangladesh, announcing it will not send election observers until the environment becomes "more conducive."
General elections are scheduled in Bangladesh for January 5, but the government has deployed thousands of troops to contain deadly violence ahead of the vote, which the opposition and a key ruling party ally are set to boycott.
"The United States believes Bangladesh has an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to democracy by organising free and fair elections that are credible in the eyes of the Bangladeshi people," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.

"The United States notes with disappointment, however, that the major political parties have not yet reached consensus on a way to achieve such elections."
More than half of the parliamentary seats are namely uncontested.
"In this context, the United States will not deploy observers for these elections," Psaki said.

"We remain prepared to reengage our observation efforts at a later time in a more conducive environment."
Violence over the planned elections has left more than 100 people dead since November.
"The United States encourages all political parties and Bangladeshi citizens to participate peacefully in the political process. Violence is not acceptable because it subverts the democratic process," Psaki said.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies have been staging protests since late October to force Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down so that a neutral caretaker government can oversee the election -- an arrangement in place in previous votes but rejected by Hasina.
Three rounds of UN-brokered last-minute talks between the government and opposition have failed to resolve the dispute, plunging the nation into its worst political crisis in decades.