‘US Visa Policy to Supplement Govt Hold Free, Fair Polls’

Visiting US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya today said her country announced the new visa policy to supplement Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's commitment to hold free, fair and neutral election.

She made the statement while calling on the prime minister at the Gono Bhaban, PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters in a briefing.

"We do not have any bias towards any party, we want a neutral, free and fair election," Zeya was quoted as saying to the PM.

The prime minister said it was her commitment to holding free and fair elections in the country.

"We always fought for free and fair election in the country, we already have held free and fair elections," she said.

She mentioned that Awami League always fought for the rights of the people. "We always fight for people's right to choose their representatives," she added.

She also mentioned that it was BNP who started vote rigging in the country. In this connection, she said that transparent ballot boxes have been introduced for polls.

Hasina recalled the atrocities, terrorism activities and arson attacks of BNP and their allies during 2013-15 that left 500 people killed.

Zeya told the PM that she visited Rohingya camps and talked to the displaced people from Myanmar.

She put emphasis on strengthening coordinated international efforts to ensure reparation of the Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.

She mentioned that US will provide some $74 million for the operational cost in Rohingya camps.

She highly appreciated Sheikh Hasina for hosting such a huge number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh.

Hasina said Bangladesh is currently hosting more than one million Ronhigyas in two different areas of the country.

She also mentioned that human trafficking and anti-social activities are going on in these camps which are very much alarming for the country's security.

Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh Ambassador to United States Mohammad Imran, US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and US Ambassador Peter Haas were present.