US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas held a meeting with a select group of leaders from the ruling Awami League, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the Jatiya Party regarding the newly announced US visa policy.
The meeting took place at the American ambassador's residence in Gulshan in the capital on Thursday, starting just before noon and concluding around 2pm.
Sources from the meeting disclosed that among the attendees were two leaders from the Awami League, BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Organizing Secretary Shama Obaid, Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu, and the party's presidium member Maj (retd) Rana Mohammad Sohel.
At the end of the meeting, Mujibul Haque Chunnu told awaiting journalists: "The US government wanted to know the opinions of the political parties about the new visa policy they announced for Bangladesh. Each party has given their opinion. The Awami League and BNP have spoken about the election and the law and order situation."
"We understood the objective of the US visa policy for Bangladesh; they want a fair election, and they want the election to be competitive. Our party agrees on this matter," he added.
The United States has announced a new visa policy that will allow its government to restrict the issuance of visas for any Bangladeshi individual believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process.
This includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of pro-government and opposition political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services.
