Washington, Feb 6 – In a scathing critique from the heart of the US capital, Bangladesh’s former Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has branded the country’s impending parliamentary elections a complete ‘farce’ unworthy of any credibility. Speaking exclusively to IANS, Momen implored the United States to outright reject the electoral process, arguing it lacks legitimacy due to widespread exclusions.
Momen painted a grim picture of the February 12 polls, asserting that major opposition parties representing 60-70% public support, along with a 12-party alliance, have been systematically barred. ‘This isn’t an election; it’s a select club for favored groups,’ he declared, warning that officials are exploiting it to rewrite Bangladesh’s constitution, values, and principles.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Momen questioned the very purpose of these polls, insisting they won’t deliver the stability, political calm, or economic recovery the nation desperately needs. Instead, he predicts deeper chaos: ‘The economy is already in tatters, and this will drag it further down.’ Investments, both domestic and foreign, have dried up, while Bangladesh generates nearly 2 million unemployed youth annually—a ticking time bomb of dashed hopes.
Delving into leadership voids, Momen accused the interim administration under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of abdicating real power. ‘They’re technically in charge but have handed control to radical Islamic groups,’ he charged. This shift, he said, fuels human rights abuses, rampant corruption, and widespread oppression, rendering the government ‘utterly incompetent and ineffective.’
Momen’s appeal to Washington is direct and urgent: publicly denounce the elections as a sham. He praised the US and UN decisions to withhold observers, aligning with America’s democratic ethos. ‘It’s time for the US to declare it won’t recognize this mockery,’ he urged.
Foreign policy missteps compound the crisis. Momen lambasted the administration for abandoning Bangladesh’s balanced diplomacy—once juggling ties with India, the US, and China—and now tilting toward Beijing while demonizing India through propaganda. ‘This is the wrong path for South Asia,’ he warned, foreseeing severe internal strife and regional perils, including jihadist networks embedding themselves to destabilize the nation.
As Bangladesh teeters, Momen’s voice from exile underscores a nation at crossroads, where electoral pretense threatens to entrench division and despair unless the international community acts decisively.