US urges Bangladeshi parties to immediately engage in dialogue

The US today urged the Bangladeshi political parties to immediately engage in a constructive dialogue to resolve the current impasse ahead of the general elections.
"We believe the need is now even more urgent for the major political parties to engage immediately in constructive dialogue, to find a way forward, to hold elections that are free, fair and credible, and that reflects the will of the Bangladeshi people," the State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Marie Harf, told reporters at her daily news conference.
"Violence of any nature, which, I know we've seen in Bangladesh, by any of the participants in the political process, is not part of the democratic process. It's not acceptable, must stop immediately," she said.

Harf also said, "US believes that obviously in a democracy all parties have a right to express their opinions freely and peacefully, and we call on the major parties to engage in constructive dialogue to try to find an agreed-upon way forward,".