No Visa for opposition engaging in violence: Donald Lu

The US visa ban warning regarding obstruction of the democratic election process in Bangladesh applies impartially to both the government and the opposition. Committing acts of violence will result in visa ineligibility.

Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State, Donald Lu, made this remark in an interview on Wednesday night. The US Embassy published the interview details on its website last night.

In response to the question of why is the US government going to introduce this new visa policy for Bangladeshis and whether is it really necessary, Lu answered, "I want to clarify that the US government is not imposing sanctions presently. However, a new policy has been announced to impose visa restrictions on individuals, including government officials, members of the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, or opposition members, who hinder or undermine the conduct of free and fair elections in Bangladesh.”

“We perceive this issue as a means to guide South Asia and the global community towards progress. Safeguarding democracy is both imperative and essential for Bangladesh's advancement and well-being,” he added.

When asked about the inclusion of current and former officials, employees, and other Bangladeshis under the policy, Donald Lu clarified that it applies to all government officials and members of the opposition. He emphasized that individuals involved in violence, voter intimidation, or violations of freedom of speech would be ineligible for US visas.

When questioned about media, internet service providers, and other companies, including mobile phone service providers, Donald Lu clarified that the policy only applies to individuals, not organizations. However, he confirmed that family members, including spouses and children, of those involved in obstructing the election process would also face visa restrictions. Lu further mentioned that individuals whose visas are canceled will be promptly notified. The policy and corresponding laws provide clear guidance on these matters.

When asked about the specific individuals covered by the visa restrictions, Lu clarified that the policy has not been applied to any particular person yet. He explained that the policy enables the US to restrict travel to anyone engaged in four prohibited acts: voter intimidation, voter fraud, infringement on the right to free speech or assembly, and the use of violence to disrupt free and fair elections.

Lu also said, "I promise that this policy will be implemented in a fair, constructive manner and equally with both the government and the opposition. The US government never takes sides during elections. We do not support any particular party or any particular candidate. The United States government stands for only one thing, and that is a free and fair democratic process.”

When asked whether the policy applies to those who carry out orders from superiors, Donald Lu said that both the person giving the order and the person carrying out the order would be subject to this penalty. Those who accept the order and engage in acts of violence or voter intimidation or vote rigging will be considered ineligible for a US visa. Similarly, those who will direct these tasks cannot travel to the United States.

The next question was, is this policy being adopted because of the incident of reducing the security (traffic escort) of US Ambassador Peter Haas on May 14? In response, Donald Lu said, "That's not the case at all. When the Bangladesh government was informed about this new policy on May 3, I was personally involved in the process. So this new policy and its announcement is in no way related to the May 14 incident the government. The United States government has never made and will never make a decision in the spirit of retaliation.”

When asked how far into the past the new policy would be effective, Assistant Secretary Lu said, "This policy is designed with a forward-looking approach, aiming to contribute to the prevention of violence and the promotion of free and fair elections in Bangladesh in the days ahead. The United States takes this responsibility seriously and remains committed to being a friend of Bangladesh. Through this new policy, the United States seeks to support the efforts of the Prime Minister, the government, civil society, and the people of Bangladesh towards achieving a free and fair election.”

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