Dhaka Bureau: Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh is not worried about the US visa ban. He said this in an interview given to Al-Jazeera, a Qatar-based media outlet, on Saturday local time. Regarding the visa ban, he said that the United States is a democratic country, and so are we. As a global power, the US can certainly exercise power over others. But we don’t care about that. We know how to make acceptable choices.
The US State Department announced on Thursday the imposition of visa restrictions on certain individuals “responsible for or involved in obstructing the democratic election process in Bangladesh”. The agency’s spokesman, Matthew Miller, said in a statement that the banned individuals include members of Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies, the ruling party, and opposition political parties. These individuals, as well as their immediate family members, may also be ineligible to enter the United States.
However, the US State Department did not disclose the names of those who were banned from visas ‘due to legal obligations’. Almost four months earlier, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had warned of visa bans on those who obstructed the ‘free, fair, and peaceful’ election process in Bangladesh. At that time, the foreign ministry of Bangladesh also assured free and fair elections.
Abdul Momen said the leaders and activists of his party, the Awami League, are not worried about the US visa ban. Because most of them want to stay in these developing countries. He also said that our voters are not worried. Because they probably aren’t thinking of moving to the US.
