voa标准英语2008-US Envoy Says Next Bangladeshi Government Faces

With less than a week to go before elections in Bangladesh, the U.S. ambassador to that country is warning that whoever wins will have to simultaneously¹ focus on democracy, development and fighting terrorism. Otherwise, he says, Bangladesh will face even greater challenges than it does at present.

Voters in Bangladesh go to the polls on December 29. The election is intended to restore democracy to the South Asian nation of 150 million people, who are predominately Muslim. The long-delayed election comes after a nearly two-year period of emergency rule by an army-backed caretaker government.
　

Amb. James Moriarty

The U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, James Moriarty, in a VOA interview, called for the election winner to focus on three priorities - restoring full democracy, development and denying opportunities for terrorism to flourish.

"Any successful government in Bangladesh has to address all three," he said. "If the democracy does not function well, you will see ungoverned space, you will see much slower economic development than you would otherwise. If development doesn't occur you will have a lot more poor people, you will have a lot more opportunities for bad guys to do bad things."

The election comes after the interim² government agreed to free from jail the heads of the two top political parties. As part of a widespread sweep to rid the country of corruption³ the leaders of the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party were arrested. They rotated in and out of power during a tumultuous 15-year period with the party in opposition⁴ accused of violence and intimidation⁵ against the other.
　

US Ambassador to Bangladesh, James Moriarty (l) and Sheik Hasina of the Awami Legue

Ambassador Moriarty has appeared recently twice with Sheik Hasina of the Awami League. But he says he is not playing favorites and hopes to meet again with BNP leader Khaleda Zia before election day.

"We have no preferred candidate," he said. "I've reached out to both of the former prime ministers. I've assured them that the United States has important interests in Bangladesh, wants to see a return to democracy and will work well with whatever government comes to power."

The ambassador says he is convinced Bangladesh's military wants to get out of politics and has kept to its own timetable for the transition back to an elected civilian⁶ government.

1 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

2 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。