Inclusion of media under US visa restrictions doesn't seem to be 'a right choice': Shahriar Alam

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Wednesday said the inclusion of media under the US visa restrictions does not seem to be "a right choice, or the right thing to do or say."

"There, you have a say, too. We expect they will not take any steps that interfere in the freedom of the media or limit its freedom," he told reporters when a journalist raised the issue. 

The state minister hoped that the US Administration would look into why the US Ambassador in Dhaka, Peter Haas, mentioned the media when talking about the visa restrictions. 

He, however, said this is not an issue that should worry general people.

He said that Bangladesh expects the new US visa policy will not be applied arbitrarily or in a non-objective manner.

The United States has said its visa restriction policy can be applied to anyone "found to be undermining" democratic elections in Bangladesh.

"This could include vote rigging, intimidating voters, use of violence to prevent people from exercising their rights to freedom of association and freedom of peaceful assembly, and the use of measures designed to prevent political parties, voters, civil society, or the media from participating in the electoral process or expressing their views," US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB earlier while responding to a question.

He came up with the remark when asked whether journalists may also come under visa restrictions.

Clarifying the issue further, the US Embassy in a Facebook post said, "We are applying the [visa restriction] policy in a balanced way against anyone [undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh] - regardless of being pro-government, opposition party, members of law enforcement agencies, members of the judiciary, or media persons."

The embassy spokesperson said the US Department of State relies on extensive, well-resourced, and fact-checked case-by-case review of credible information about those undermining the democratic process in Bangladesh to determine whether to apply visa restrictions.

The United States has said it will not release the names or numbers of people in Bangladesh subjected to the visa restrictions.

"Visa records are confidential under US law," US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB earlier.

But, he said, the US government has looked very closely at incidents since they announced this policy.

"After a careful review of the evidence, we have imposed visa restrictions on members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition," said Bryan Schiller.

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.