Fourteen United States (US) Congressmen have sent a letter to the US Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, calling for the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces during the upcoming national elections in Bangladesh to ensure free and fair polls.

"UN in combination with impartial governments around the world, participate in supervising and conducting free and fair elections in Bangladesh. This should include the provision of peacekeeping forces to prevent intimidation, harassment, or assault of voters," read the letter, signed by Bob Good, Scott Perry, Anna Paulina-Luna, Josh Brecheen, Ralph Norman, Andrew Clyde, Eli Crane, Cory Mills, Paul A Gosar, Doug LaMalfa, Ronny L Jackson, Randy Weber, Brian Babin and Glenn Grothman.

"The people of Bangladesh deserve free and fair elections. I sent a letter to the US Ambassador to the UN with 13 of my colleagues, expressing concern over violence by the Bangladeshi government against peaceful demonstrators," one of the congressmen, Bob Good tweeted on Thursday (27 July).

"The people of Bangladesh expect free and fair elections," the congressmen said in their letter.

"Sheikh Hasina's government is using muscle power to deprive the people of the right to fair elections and hinder the freedom of the media and the work of human rights activists," it added.

They urged the ambassador to ask the UN to prevent Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel from being deployed in peacekeeping missions until human rights violation cases against the elite force are investigated.

"Alleged abuses by RAB include torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings, demanding immediate condemnation," said the letter by the 14 legislators.

In their letter, the US congressmen stated that the UN should immediately suspend Bangladesh's membership in the human rights council until an investigation is done into the government's alleged crimes against journalists and political opponents.

Earlier on 14 June, 6 US congresspersons wrote to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on the Biden administration to facilitate free and fair elections in Bangladesh. 

Before that on 4 June, 6 US Congressmen brought allegations of human rights violations against the current Bangladesh government and called on President Joe Biden to take action to create opportunities for free and fair parliamentary elections in the country.