The announcement of visa policy regarding relevant everyone including government and oppositions centered on upcoming national election seems very baleful for Bangladesh. In addition, as Bangladesh has deep relation with the US in terms of trade, commerce and remittance, this visa policy conveyed a special importance. The policy was already announced; so It’s Bangladesh who has to take necessary steps in this regard. However, according to the political analysts, if the national election is free, fair, participatory and credible, then no one needs to be worried about it. If the election is not held in such manner, then there are many reasons to get feared.
The diplomats said the US began to put special importance on democracy and human rights after Joe Biden had become US President. The former Trump government didn’t bother about these matters. The US started to apply this kind of policy from 2022. Already, it has applied this type of policy to some African states and countries like Cambodia. None of these banning has been over yet. Hence, no one is clear how to get out if this kind of policy is applied.
Humayun Kabir, the former ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States, told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “There is no reason to fear if there is a fair, participatory and credible election. If it doesn't then there will be cause for fear. They made this visa policy with a specific goal. Now they are only talking about implementation. The purpose of this is that those who are involved in this election process such as various political parties, government and other partners, will maintain their role positively.”
The former ambassador said the United States has talked about a few things in the application of visa policy like refrain from showing intimidation, violence, obstruction and hindering freedom of expression. When they announced this policy last May 24, they gave these standards. The United States has also indicated that it will compile a list of those involved in this negative process, gathering information through its various sources. However, this list will not be made public.
Humayun Kabir said, “Now if we all can complete a fair, free, acceptable and participatory election by playing our expected role properly, then we have no reason to worry about this visa policy at all. In this case the application of visa policy will not be required. I think this should be our job as a respectable and independent state.”
According to him, it cannot be said that we have no role in creating problems with the visa policy. In the last 52 years, we have not been able to establish an electoral structure acceptable to everyone. If it had, there would have been no question of coming to this place. Actually visa policy is a warning for all of us. If we cannot move ahead with the election process in a fair, acceptable and inclusive way, then we will have the risk of getting more complicated situations in the future.
According to international relations analyst Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, it is a mistake to think that because the United States has given this visa policy, Bangladesh's democracy will be fixed. Bangladesh's democracy needs to be fixed by the people of the country. It is not correct to think that it will be alright with the visa policy of any foreign country, as one of the most important things in the concept of democracy of western countries is the trust between political parties. Now, let’s see whether that trust will increase or decrease with the application of the visa policy. In my opinion, trust will further decrease and detachment will increase. I don't think Bangladesh's democracy will be fixed by applying visa policy. This visa policy may have a symbolic significance. Thus, the people of the government party may be aware for a fair election, many of the opposition party may also be aware. But the lack of democracy must be removed through the role of people of Bangladesh.
(The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on September 25 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque)
