<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Russia has said that an “Arab Spring” like situation could be instigated in Bangladesh if people’s will here is not satisfactory to the United States.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“If the results of the people’s will are not satisfactory to the United States, attempts to further destabilize the situation in Bangladesh along the lines of the ‘Arab Spring’ are likely,” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.</div><div><br></div><div>Unfortunately, she said, there is little chance that Washington will come to its senses and refrain from yet another gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are confident, however, that despite all the machinations of external forces, the issue of power in Bangladesh will ultimately be decided by the friendly people of this country, and no one else,” said the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman.</div><div><br></div><div>She said there are serious reasons to fear that in the coming weeks an even “wider arsenal of pressure, including sanctions,” may be used against the government of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>The spokeswoman said key industries may come under attack, as well as a number of officials who will be accused, without evidence, of obstructing the democratic will of citizens in the upcoming parliamentary election on January 7, 2024, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>On December 12-13, in a number of districts of Bangladesh, opponents of the current government blocked road traffic, burned buses, and clashed with the police, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>“We see a direct connection between these events and the inflammatory activity of Western diplomatic missions in Dhaka. In particular, US Ambassador Peter Haas, which we already talked about at the briefing on November 22,” she said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>