US visa policy is nothing new. That is a decade-old practice. Thousands of people from high society in Bangladesh have been refused visa by the US Embassy in Dhaka. Everybody knows that the US visa is really something very rare for some people and at the same time it is so simple to some lucky ones. That means the US visa officer reserves the absolute right to issue visa.
Some quarters who take people to be stupid spread rumors as and when it fits their personal and party interest. US has never issue visa to people who are involved in violent activities or encourage violence in any way. The US Embassy In Dhaka conducts extensive investigations if they find anything wrong with the applicants. Moreover there is a very good practice they used to follow when there is request from the ruling party and even when the request comes from a minister they conduct vigorous investigation in that case. It is clear that the visa issue is being aggravated by some politically unscrupulous people with a view to achieving their selfish end.
When the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is firmly committed to upholding and continuing democracy, this initiative of US in the form of visa restriction is supportive to Bangladesh government and its cause. There is nothing to be worried about as this visa restriction has no connection or relation with the government.
BNP, its allies and the vested quarter are spreading rumor that this visa restriction of US would be prejudicial to democracy and was imposed targeting Awami League. Visa restriction and these rumors have created confusion among people. However, actuallythe visa restriction of US doesn’t go against the government because government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been reiterating that this government shall ensure a free, fair and inclusive election and upholds the principle of democracy. The Awami League government had first enacted law to form election commission alongside giving them complete economic freedom after bringing it out of the purview of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). It is Awami League who introduced transparent ballot boxes and a voter list with photographs to hold a fair election.
On the other hand, BNP was born in the cantonment and was formed by military dictator Ziaur Rahman through a coup. Democracy was destroyed when Bangabandhu was killed in August 1975. And thereafter, the founder of BNP Ziaur Rahman indemnified the killers of Bangabandhu and his family from being tried in any court of law in Bangladesh. The indemnity ordinance was later made a part of the Constitution by Ziaur Rahman after 1979. Ziaur Rahman promoted all the killers of Bangabandhu and posted them as diplomats in foreign mission while his wife chairperson of BNP Khaleda Zia offered huge affections for them. Even she released the arrested killer from prison and gave the killers opportunities to launder crores of dollars in name of human resources. BNP alliance carried out arson attack in 2013-14 aiming at foiling the polls.
Recently, BNP has come up with a one-point demand that the next election must be held under a neutral caretaker government, which is unconstitutional and has been rejected by the Supreme Court. BNP’s chairperson Khaleda Zia had added 1.23 crore fake voters to the voter list to rig the election. BNP is neither working for democracy nor for fair election as they don’t believe in the spirit of democracy.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her hope that United Statesshall implement this visa restriction neutrally.She also assured that there is nothing to fear that who will give sanction or not.
United States should properly investigate the past track of the people in granting visas and should not be biased in any manner to any party or individual while implementation this visa restriction policy. United States also should not do any favor to members of the so-called civil society who are in quest of sharing power. United States has always applied their own policy in granting visa. Awami League government also doesn’t want any person involved in crime or responsible for undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh to get shelter of any country. It is United States who gave shelters to the killers of Bangabandhu and Bangladesh as a nation is a victim to theirsupport to a killer. It is hoped that United States shall send back the criminal to Bangladesh before implementing this visa restriction policy.
