AL, BNP, JaPa hold meeting with US envoy Haas

Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party leaders have held a meeting with the US ambassador Peter Haas on Thursday, a day after the US announced its bar on visas to Bangladeshis responsible for undermining democratic election process..

AL’s information and research affairs secretary Selim Mahmud and central leader Md A Arafat, BNP’s standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and international affairs secretary Shama Obaid, Jatiya Party’s secretary general Mujibul Haque Chunnu and presidium member Major (retd) Rana Mohammad Sohel were present during the meeting.

AL leaders refrained from talking to journalists following the meeting but BNP and JaPa leaders welcomed the US announcement.

“The US announcement regarding the visa restriction reflects international community’s concern about a fair election. This is a big step towards ensuring a free and fair election in Bangladesh. We welcome the move,” Amir Khasru Mahmud told journalists.

JaPa’s Mujibul Haque said, “The US visa policy on Bangladesh suggests that the country wants a fair election here that will be a competitive one. Our party also agrees this.”

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Dhaka in a Facebook post said ambassador Peter Haas met today with representatives of the Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP, and Jatiya Party.

“We support free and fair elections. The new visa policy to restrict visas to those who undermine the democratic process applies to everyone,” reads the Facebook status.