Dhaka terms it unfortunate, urges Washington to revoke decision
Staff Correspondent
daily star 17 jan
The United States has added Bangladesh to a list of countries to face stricter restrictions in the US immigration process under the post-September 11 vigilance against terrorism. Dhaka has termed the decision unfortunate and asked Washington to keep Bangladesh off the terror-risk country list.
Terror-risk bar
Bangladeshis to register with INS during Feb 24 - Mar 28
Applies to visitors staying more than 30 days
US residents, diplomats, green card holders exempted
Students, business travellers, visiting relatives to face restrictions
Fingerprints, photos to identify suspects even if they travel on false documents
Aimed at men from countries the US believes harbours terrorists
Wanted criminals as well as terror suspects will be targeted
Measures to be imposed at air and seaports
All countries to be listed by 2005
On the other hand, the country's business circle is concerned at the US decision, as it feels that exports to the largest market would be hit hard.
Foreign Secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury disclosed the US decision at the weekly press briefing at the foreign ministry yesterday. He received a message in this regard from the Bangladesh mission in Washington earlier on the day.
Under the restriction, Bangladeshi males in the 16-45 age bracket will be required to register with the US immigration authorities in the latest expansion of the post-September 11 programme that has drawn strenuous protests worldwide.
They are required to visit local immigration and naturalisation service (INS) offices to be photographed and fingerprinted. They also will have to produce certain documents.
The registration is part of a broader INS plan to set up, by 2005, a comprehensive system detailing who is entering, leaving and staying in the US.
Long-term visitors to the US from Bangladesh will have to register at local INS offices from February 24 to March 28. This would not affect US citizens, diplomats, refugees or permanent resident aliens holding green cards.
Most of those required to register are in the US as students or business travellers or are visiting relatives.
Along with Bangladesh, four other countries - Indonesia, Jordan, Egypt and Kuwait - have also been included in a fourth "call-in group", which raised the number of such countries to 25. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were included in the third group in December last. Some countries included in the lists are considered 'potential havens for terrorists'.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon,Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen and UAE were listed in the first two groups. The only non-Muslim country included in the list is North Korea.
"This is unfortunate. Our credential as a moderate, tolerant and democratic country is beyond any doubt," the foreign secretary said. "Dhaka voices deep concern and feels hurt at the US decision."
"We trust and hope that it is a temporary measure and its impact will be limited in scope and form," Shamsher said. "We have already asked our mission in Washington to start lobbying with the decision-makers to revert this decision."
However, US Ambassador in Dhaka Marry Ann Peters in a press statement yesterday said the goal of the security measure called National Security Entry Exit Registration System is to 'better track all foreign visitors' to the US.
The domestic registration requirements for certain temporary visitors from Bangladesh arriving and residing in the US are the latest phase of this long-term initiative, she added.
"It is important to note that the registration system applies only to temporary visitors to the US and does not apply to arriving immigrants, permanent residents and American citizens of Bangladesh descent," she mentioned.
Thus, she continued, the majority of travellers from Bangladesh to the US would not be subject to these restriction requirements.
"No country is exempted from this programme and citizens of many countries have already been subject to the requirement. Inclusion of Bangladesh in this programme does not in any way signal a change in the US view that Bangladesh has been and continues to be a staunch member of the international coalition against terrorism," she said.
The foreign secretary said the government has already conveyed its feeling to the US government through the US ambassador in Dhaka and the Bangladesh ambassador in Washington.
He said Bangladesh is firmly committed to fighting against international terrorism and strongly abhors any form of terrorism.
Asked if the US decision would influence the Dhaka-Washington relations, he said. "Our relation with US is multifaceted and broad-based. We are committed to pursue it."
On economic impact of the US restriction, the foreign secretary said America is the single largest export destination of Bangladeshi readymade garments. Besides, he added, a lot of people is working in the US and has got deep-rooted of interactions with different sectors.
The foreign secretary said 'careful analysis of events' is needed to ascertain the reasons behind the US action.