Visa policy is a part of support for Bangladesh electoral process: Haas

US ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas has said their visa policy is a part of support to the electoral process in Bangladesh.

He made the remark after paying a courtesy call to foreign minister AK Abdul Momen at the foreign ministry on Thursday afternoon.

About the meeting with the foreign minister, Peter Haas said, "Our meeting was prescheduled, which is a regular meeting. We had a discussion on friendly relations between two countries. The issue of US visa policy came up for discussion."

The US envoy said, "What you have seen in the statement of Bangladesh's foreign ministry this morning and yesterday in our statement, is a call to all, the people of Bangladesh, the government and the prime minister, for a free and fair election."

US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Wednesday in a statement announced the new visa policy. In the visa policy, it has been said the people, who are liable or involved in impeding the democratic election process, will not be issued US visa.

Following the announcement of US new visa policy, Bangladesh foreign ministry on Thursday morning issued a formal statement. It said the government lauded the international community including the US for supporting the commitment of prime minister Sheikh Hasina to hold a free and fair election in Bangladesh.