Media persons may face visa restrictions: Haas

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has said that members of Media outlets might be included in the list of those who would face visa restriction. 

He said: “We are applying the policy in a balanced way against anyone regardless of whether they are pro-government, whether they are in the opposition, or whether they are law enforcement, whether they are in the judiciary, whether it's the media. But it is based on behaviour. It's not based on anything else but their actions.”

The US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas told this to Channel 24 during his visit to the private television station on Sunday. 

"It's not about the numbers, it's about the message that we are sending," Haas added. 

This is the first time that media workers are also been said to be included in the restriction list. Nobody earlier mentioned that members of the media might come under its purview. 

Blinken's original statement mentioned "current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of pro-government and opposition political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services."

In May this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the new visa policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) (“3C”) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful national elections.

Under this policy, the United States will restrict the issuance of visas for any Bangladeshi individual, believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.

The Department of State on Friday said they are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.

These individuals include members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition, he said. These persons and members of their immediate family may be found ineligible for entry into the United States. Additional persons found to have been responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh may also be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy in the future, according to the US Department of State.

This includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of opposition and ruling political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services, Miller said.