Foreign relations experts on Sunday opined that the US visa restriction on Bangladesh will have no significant impact.
Referring to the US visa restrictions against many African countries, which have less global status value than Bangladesh, they claimed that the latest visa restriction will fail to fulfill any the secret agenda of the western powers.
Earlier many poor African countries which went through US visa restriction, did not pay heeds to US visa restriction.
So there is no reason for Bangladesh to be worried about the US visa restriction.
Earlier, the US had imposed visa restrictions on Nigeria, Uganda and Somalia. Some of these countries have visa bans before the elections, some face visa ban after their national elections.
Although these visa restrictions had been imposed in African countries before, it has not been effective for the purpose US imposed the ban.
Just nine days before the announcement of the new visa policy for Bangladesh, visa restrictions were also imposed for Nigeria using the same clause. The USA has imposed visa bans against some individuals for alleged intimidation of voters in presidential elections, manipulation of election results and anti-democratic activities.
Just a month before the 2019 elections, the US announced that if the elections in Nigeria were not fair, visa bans would be imposed against those involved.
US also imposed visa ban against Uganda, another poor African country.
The US imposed visa bans on some people around the election in Uganda. But this ban has not had any significant effect in that country. Ugandan President has been in power in Uganda since 1986. He is the head of state and army chief at the same time. Following the general elections in Uganda in January 2021, the United States imposed a visa ban on some individuals.
US also imposed visa ban against Somalia, one of the poorest African nation.
However, Somalia government had to accept some conditions of the US after the visa policy as US has considerable influence over Somalia, especially existing ties with the current regime. The announcement of the visa ban was a shock to Somalia politicians as Somalia has to rely on Western aid. When asked about the announcement of the application of the US visa policy in Bangladesh, the former ambassador of Bangladesh to China, Munshi Faiz Ahmed told that announcement for visa restriction is conspicuous, unfriendly behavior.
Our government and opposition parties should not accept this, everyone should be vocal, he added.
Fazlul Halim Rana, professor of the International Relations department of Jahangirnagar University also said earlier the same visa policy was imposed for Nigeria, Uganda and Somalia for the same reason. Nigeria, Uganda ignored the US decision. The same happened in Uganda. Uganda also ignored the visa ban.
Compared to the three countries-- Nigeria, Uganda and Somalia , Bangladesh's position is higher in global politics. Sheikh Hasina personally has a global branding value.
I think that countries like Nigeria and Uganda did not pay heed to the US visa restriction, why Bangladesh will pay heed, he opined.