US 'deeply concerned' by reports of mass arrests, torture of opposition members

The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" by the reports of "mass arrests of thousands of opposition members and reports of torture in prison" in Bangladesh.

"We urge all sides to exercise restraint and avoid violence. We urge the government of Bangladesh to work with all stakeholders to create conditions in which all may participate in the pre-election and election environment freely, without fear of violence or retribution," said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller at a briefing in Washington DC yesterday.

"It is our belief that a healthy democracy benefits from a variety of voices speaking freely, engaged in dialogue and discussion in an exchange about the issues of the day."

The spokesperson was asked by a reporter about the investigative report by Financial Times which claimed that Sheikh Hasina's government has orchestrated a planned propaganda campaign involving deep fake tools against the US and Bangladesh opposition political parties in the context of upcoming polls.

Miller, in response, said, "So we have seen the concerning news of deep fakes in election-related disinformation in Bangladesh. It's part of a worrying trend around the globe of using AI to manipulate and influence democratic processes."

Asked if he has any news for new sanctions against Bangladesh before election on January 7, Miller said he does not have anything to announce today.

"It is our longstanding practice not to preview sanctions actions before we take them."