Emran Emon

Recently, the matter of US sanctions on Bangladesh has become the 'hot cake' and 'talk of the country'. Initially, the sanctions were imposed only on politicians, bureaucrats and administrative officials. But now the country's media and media workers' have been added in this regard.

The United States has imposed a visa sanction on some members of Bangladesh's law enforcement agencies, members of the ruling party and political opponents. However, the US Embassy did not clarify how many people were subject to this restriction.

Bryan Schiller, the spokesperson of the US Embassy in Dhaka said, 'Since we announced this visa policy, the US government has been keeping a close eye on the developments. After a careful review of evidence, we have imposed visa restrictions on members of the law enforcement agencies, members of the ruling party and political opponents.''

A US embassy spokesman was asked whether the US would release the names of those subject to visa restrictions. In response, he said, "No, we will not disclose the names of those who come under these visa restrictions." Explaining the reason, he said, visa records are confidential under US law.

A statement about this was published on the US State Department website an hour before Bryan Schiller made this statement. "Today (Friday), the State Department is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for or involved in undermining Bangladesh's democratic election process," said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in the statement. These individuals include law enforcers, members of the ruling party and political opposition parties. The United States is committed to supporting the peaceful conduct of free and fair elections in Bangladesh.

In this statement it is said, "These individuals and their family members may be considered ineligible for entry into the United States. Additional individuals found to be responsible for or involved in undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh may also be considered ineligible for US visas under this policy in the future. These include current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of the opposition and ruling political parties, and members of the law enforcement, judiciary and security services."

There is no end to speculation as to who will be included in the new sanctions. A few days ago, the United States also imposed sanctions on Nigeria. In the case of Nigeria, only those persons are mentioned who are somehow connected with electoral irregularities. In the case of Bangladesh, the number of people who will fall under this new rule, is so wide that one has to wonder.

Members of the government, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and opposition political parties—are all on the sanctions list. Previously, sanctions were imposed against some top officials of RAB for alleged human rights violations. This time the members of the judiciary are also included in this list. From this, it can be assumed that the United States thinks that not only government officials, but also members of the judiciary may be involved in election irregularities.

If it is not a new sanction, what is the need to announce it in advance? It can be said that through this announcement, the US government wants to send an early message to Dhaka that if major irregularities occur in the elections, then Washington can take effective measures.

Bangladesh is lagging behind significantly in democracy and human rights indicators. The United States has already been giving Bangladesh a worrying message in this regard. It has even been informed that action will be taken if the overall situation does not change.

Current US President Joe Biden's non-invitation of Bangladesh to the recent Democracy Summit was a case in point. It could be said that the advance notice was part of the present "action". Bangladesh has not only felt neglected but also insulted for not being invited to this conference for two consecutive years. But Bangladesh did not learn any lesson from there.

Many of the politicians, bureaucrats and administrative officials in the state power of Bangladesh own properties in the United States. Many of their sons and daughters are engaged in higher education there. For those individuals to lose the opportunity to travel to the United States is humiliating, and the loss of property is even more frightening.

In order to lift the sanction on RAB, the government of Bangladesh has been lobbied in various ways. We know that Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen himself has spoken to the US Secretary of State in this regard. It is also not unknown that a lobbying firm has been hired to clean up Bangladesh's 'image' to US policymakers. But nothing is working. On the contrary, new restrictions are coming one by one. Finally, the sanction has come on the media and media workers'.

The US Embassy flared up with Bangladesh mainly because of creating the obstruction and trouble to the US Ambassador Peter Haas for going to a Human Rights program on December last year. The precedents of various phenomena that have taken place since then—are not unknown to anyone. The question generally arises—who and for what purpose did such an incident with the gentleman Peter Haas that day. That day is responsible for this today's difficult situation in the country!

In the end, the US Embassy added the country's media and media workers' to the sanctions issue very tactfully. In the last election, the role of media and media workers' changed the entire context of elections at that time.

The inclusion of media and media workers' under the sanctions cannot be said to be ill-founded. The media, which is supposed to be the fourth pillar of the estate and speak for the rights of the people. When that media and media workers' forget to talk about the country and the people's rights of the country by being engaged in personal interests and when the media is diverted from its true purpose and become a platform for self-censorship, attacking the opponents, attacking and countering the others, irregularities, corruption and extortion—then there is no scope to call such sanctions unreasonable. Even then, our media and media workers' will follow the right path of the media?

Analyzing the history, it can be said that overreaching with the world's supreme power country, the United States of America, has not ended up well for anyone or any country. Turning the pages of history, we see that Iraq became a destruction because of president Saddam's tyranny.

The United States of America is the dream country of everyone in this country. Politicians and bureaucrats of this country looted from the country and built a mountain of wealth in America. They build 'second home' in America. Despite saying a harsh-word on the issue of sanctions, there is a tremor going on inside them. Politicians and bureaucrats of this country educate their sons and daughters in the United States of America instead of in their own country. But why? Does anyone ask those questions? Can a country run like this?

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