New York Bureau Chief: The United States has canceled the visas of 51 Bangladeshis. This action took place in the past three months. Among those whose visas have been Those whose visas have been canceled politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, members of the armed forces and industrialists. They had all been granted multiple or other visas by the United States.
Human rights violations, inflammatory remarks against the United States, and allegations of misconduct in politics have been raised against them. It has been reported that one of the Awami League’s Joint General Secretary is also among them. He has been accused of using disrespectful language in a foreign language towards a former US diplomat.
Recently, several leaders of the Awami League expressed their support for the attack on the US diplomat’s car. Two of them had their visas canceled. They were informed of the visa cancellation through a letter from the embassy.
A middle-level leader of the Awami League, during a visit to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of the World Bank’s arrival, applied for a visa but was rejected. By calling for a fair and participatory national parliamentary election in Bangladesh and announcing upcoming travel restrictions, the Biden administration has conveyed its decision to the Bangladeshi government.
The spokesperson at the US Embassy in Dhaka admitted that some Bangladeshi visas have been canceled or revoked without mentioning any names or numbers.
The embassy’s statement said that it is a common practice to inform those whose visas have been canceled or revoked.
However, in the context of the upcoming elections, no visa application has been rejected due to the State Department’s upcoming visa restrictions. When asked if the visa cancellation or revocation affects the security of the embassy, the embassy’s side told journalists that the new visa policy of the State Department is completely separate.
United States is a good friend of Bangladesh. The United States wants to see that democratic rights can be practiced in this country.
Meanwhile, due to the announcement of advance visa ban in the United States and the cancellation of many visas, remittances from the United States to Bangladesh have started at an abnormal rate. From April to July last year, remittances were 2.87 million dollars. This year, 3.05 million dollars were sent in the mentioned two months. CPD Executive Director Mahmuda Khatun said, the trend is unusual. It is worth investigating why this is so.
A Bangladeshi involved in the money exchange business in New York said that through the route of Hundi, several times more dollars are going to Bangladesh compared to the legal way. In recent years, this money has come from Bangladesh. Now it is returning to Bangladesh. Some of it goes to Malaysia or Dubai. They take the same route that the money comes from.
