People responsible for or involved in subverting the democratic election process in Bangladesh will not be granted visas by the US.
Published on late Wednesday at the US Embassy Bangladesh’s website quoting US Department of State Secretary Antony J. Blinken, a statement reads, “Today, I am announcing a new visa policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) (“3C”) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful national elections.”
“Under this policy, the United States will be able to restrict the issuance of visas for any Bangladeshi individual, believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh,” it reads.
This includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of both the government`s political party and the opposition`s, as well as members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security agencies, the statement also reads.
On May 3, the United States informed the Bangladeshi government of this choice, the US Secretary of State claimed.
No response from any Bangladeshi official was immediately received.
However, Blinken also elaborated, “Actions that undermine the democratic election process include vote rigging, voter intimidation, the use of violence to prevent people from exercising their right to freedoms of association and peaceful assembly, and the use of measures designed to prevent political parties, voters, civil society, or the media from disseminating their views.”
The holding of free and fair elections is the responsibility of everyone—voters, political parties, the government, the security forces, civil society, and the media, according to US secretary to state, Blinken, who also went on saying, “I am announcing this policy to lend our support to all those seeking to advance democracy in Bangladesh.”
On Monday, Bangladesh`s foreign minister, Dr AK Abdul Momen, stated that there was no justification for further US sanctions against Bangladesh and expressed his hope that good sense would prevail.
Momen continued, saying it would be "very unfortunate" if fresh sanctions were applied without reason.
Bangladesh withdrew a special police escort on May 15 that had been provided to the ambassadors of the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, and India for a number of years. The government announced that the embassies, residences, and clubs of foreign diplomats would continue to receive routine police protection.
