What is the reason behind the new US visa policy for Bangladesh?
Discussions are now raging over the US threatening to ban visas against anyone who obstructs the fair elections in Bangladesh. Eight months before the election, why did America give such a warning? Some are even asking a little further that behind this is the desire of the United States to see a free and fair democratic election in Bangladesh, or is there any deeper 'strategic' calculation behind it?
Biden's vision
Michael Kugelman, director of the Washington-based Wilson Center's South Asian Institute, told BBC Bangla, "It's a very tough decision, and it sends a very clear message." The US administration will now see what happens there as the elections approach.
Mr. Kugelman says he feels Bangladesh is being used as a model for the Joe Biden administration's democracy promotion agenda.
In his words, "the Biden administration is prioritizing a values-based foreign policy and applying it strongly to Bangladesh."
Fellow of Harvard University said the same thing. Anu Anwar
"There were also many questions about the 2018 elections in Bangladesh - but then the US did not take any such role. Because President Trump's policy was not values-based. But Biden's foreign policy is values-based and he put democracy and human rights at number one on the priority list."
Dr. Anwar says that it would be most correct to interpret the new visa policy in this context.
His words are, "If the Biden government thought there was a democratic regime in Bangladesh - then surely Dhaka would have been invited to the Democracy Summit."
Michael Kugelman says, "For quite some time now, we've seen the Biden administration criticize the Bangladesh government's crackdown, imposing sanctions on RAB."
"It now appears that they are willing to go beyond the diplomatic approach to 'punitive measures' if necessary, and to take tough measures to ensure free and fair elections, democracy and rights," said Michael Kugelman.
