US Ambassador in Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat on Tuesday emphasised on holding of a non-violent, free, fair and credible elections in Bangladesh that reflect the will of the people.
"As I conclude my time here in Bangladesh, I ask the government of Bangladesh and the people of Bangladesh for the same thing I ask of my own government and my own people -support non-violent, free, fair, and credible elections that reflect the will of the people," she said.
The American envoy was addressing a function organised in the Chancery in Dhaka to mark the 242nd US Independence Day.
"Later this year, both our countries will put these values to the test. Both of our countries will ask our citizens to head to the ballot box in the truest expression of self-governance," she mentioned.
The wisdom and determination of the Bangladeshi people created an independent, secular, and democratic nation and 47 years later the same wisdom and determination launched the Bangabandhu satellite into space, she added.
"I believe the same wisdom and determination will fufill the dream of a Sonar Bangla for future generations."
"While I'll be sad to leave Bangladesh, I already know I will return. When I come back to visit, I expect to see a dramatically different country. A more advanced and developed Bangladesh. But a Bangladesh with the same determination and passion for liberty that has endured since 1971".
This year the world watched as Bangladesh, with the support of NASA and SpaceX, launched Bangabandhu One -- opening a new chapter in Bangladesh's rapid acceleration toward becoming a middle-income country, she pointed out.
The Bangabandhu One satellite is a true testament to the remarkable will and innovation of the Bangladeshi people.
The US ambassador said she expects to see a dramatically different country.
"A more advanced and developed Bangladesh. But a Bangladesh with the same determination and passion for liberty that has endured since 1971".
She said the National Day of the USA is not just the anniversary of the birth of our nation, rather, a reminder of the enduring truth that a people can design their own future, a truth that drives us to constantly seek to ensure the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all the citizens of the country.
"The 4th of July is evidence that a grand experiment -- an experiment in self-governance, in democracy, in the unwavering pursuit of liberty -- can shape the world. That experiment is alive and well today as we continue to do what our founders declared, "to form a more perfect union."
Quoting Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, she said, "For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
