The US embassy`s activities on Bangladesh`s current political crisis have been noticeable for the past few months. US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat has held several meetings with the civil society. She also met with the leaders of Awami League and BNP. The US embassy has met with other political parties too. The US ambassador also met with the `one-eleven` actors. In particular, the US ambassador questioned the neutrality and transparency of Gazipur City Corporation elections. In response to such activities, tension escalated between the US embassy and the ruling party. And US State Department supported the operations of US Ambassador and the US embassy in Dhaka. It has been said by the United States that the position of US embassy in Dhaka is the position of the US State Department.

In this situation, the US embassy has become active to make the next election participatory and to ensure the participation of all parties, especially BNP. At the same time, the United States is also interested in the emergence of a third party outside Awami League and BNP. The diplomatic sources confirmed that the initiative to bring a part of BNP into this third force has been taken.

Almost all western countries including the United Kingdom, the European Union are with the initiatives of the United States. Directly and indirectly they are supporting the US initiative. But for the past decade Bangladesh`s political situation has changed. Now India has more impact on Bangladesh than the United States. After the 2014 elections, India`s role in Bangladesh was open and clear. Even in this election India has been playing separately outside the western zone. In particular, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has hada number of meetings with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Another meeting between the two leaders is scheduled to be held on August 31 at the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation-BIMSTEC conference in Nepal. Besides, a high level delegation led by Awami League General Secretary recently visited India. A high-level delegation of top BNP leaders also visited India recently. And after that the BNP`s policy and position on India have changed.

In this context, the US embassy has had an effort to adjust the initiatives of both India and the US. US embassy wanted India and the West to share similar views about Bangladesh elections. The US embassy was seeking three requirements. First, the election will be participatory and all the parties will participate in the election. Secondly, the election should be free, fair and neutral. Thirdly, the ruling party should not try to influence the election. The US embassy wanted to go to the same perspective with India regarding the above mentioned requirements.

For this reason US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat made a telephone call to Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla today morning on 71st Independence Day of India. Bernicat told about their three demands to Shringla and demanded to work jointly. But the US ambassador became disappointed. It is clear from the Indian embassy that the election of Bangladesh is an internal matter of the country. This election should be held according to the laws and regulations of the constitution of Bangladesh. The intervention of any foreign state in this election will not be admired or glorified for democracy.

India thinks that the people of Bangladesh and the Election Commission will decide how Bangladesh will hold its election. India can only exchange their ideas with political parties in this regard. But India is not in favor of issuing conditions or creating pressure over this issue. Because it will involve interference in the internal affairs of a country. As the world`s largest democracy, India has been taking policy to not interfere in the internal affairs of any country.

Political analysts believe that this position of India will provide comfort to the ruling party Awami League in the next election. Over the election issue, Awami League has repeatedly said that there is no scope for dialogue. The election will be held, according to the constitution. No political party will be given special privileges to make them participate in the elections, and no conditions will be accepted. In India`s recent move, the similarity has been found between India and AL`s positions.

Political analysts believe that Bangladesh-India relation has received a new dimension under the current governments. According to them, the present government played an important role to stop the activities of separatists in the porous borders. This has led to a new wave in the Indian economy.

According to analysts, due to these reasons, India has a soft corner on the current government. If India does not accept US policies and conditions regarding the upcoming elections, then the government will be in a convenient position in the elections, observed the political experts.