M Mushfiqul Fazal, State Department correspondent
The United States Department of State on Friday said they had taken steps to impose visa restrictions on individuals involved in undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.
‘Today, the Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh,’ State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
‘These individuals include members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition. The United States is committed to supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh that are carried out in a peaceful manner.’
He said the US is committed to supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh that are carried out in a peaceful manner.
‘These persons and members of their immediate family may be found ineligible for entry into the United States,’ he added.
Additional persons found to have been responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh may also be found ineligible for US visas under this policy in the future, Miller said.
‘This includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of opposition and ruling political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services.’
‘Our actions today reflect the continued commitment of the United States to supporting Bangladesh's goal of peacefully holding free and fair national elections, and to support those seeking to advance democracy globally,’ reads the statement.
The US secretary of state Antony J Blinken on May 24 this year announced a new visa policy to support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful national elections.
Under this policy, the United States said it would 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.
