While the political obituary of US President Joe Biden appears to be written in indelible ink, damning speculations about his cognitive decline are reaching a fever pitch. The stage is being set for the triumphant return of Donald Trump. The US presidential election, slated for November 5, 2024, is already pulsating with high-stakes drama. The Biden administration, in a desperate gambit, is deploying every trick in the book to thwart Trump’s electoral run, even weaponizing the judiciary against him. Simultaneously, Biden and his coterie are scrambling to shield Hunter Biden and the rest of the ‘Biden Crime Family‘ from ongoing investigations, impending legal repercussions, and possible imprisonment.
From the very first hour of Biden’s presidency, it has only been a disaster – thus pushing Americans into extreme sufferings. Due to Biden’s disastrous decision, America is already dragged into the Ukraine war – with no sign of its end even within the next couple of years. While Biden is sending billions of dollars to Ukraine, Americans are suffering from inflation, economic recession, and multiple crises – including a much more serious crisis related to illegal migrants entering the US in millions. By the time Joe Biden exists White House, Americans will be in a genuine hell-like situation, which may not be easy to resolve or even tackle.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden is already showing signs of opening a new war front in Taiwan by directly challenging China and its mighty army. In my opinion, Biden’s beginning war against China will be suicidal as the members of China’s People’s Army shall break the backbones of the United State’s delusion of being the world’s lone superpower. Americans must have forgotten the bitter lesson of the Vietnam War. Now they are attempting to invite enmity with almost every country in the Global South, which surely will bring disastrous consequences for the United States. Although Joe Biden believes he has become another Al Capone to the entire world – in reality, he is a huge burden – a heavy cargo to the American people.
During recent months, Biden and the unscrupulous members of his administration have resorted to threatening many nations in the Global South with visa restrictions as well as other types of intimidating tactics such as sanctions. On May 24, 2023, the Biden administration announced visa restrictions on Bangladesh with the ulterior agenda of helping Islamists, jihadists and terrorists capture power and turn the country into a neo-Taliban state.
Recall the time when Narendra Modi, then serving as the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat, was denied US visa amid the Gujarat crisis. Fast forward to his tenure as the Prime Minister of India, and the tables turned dramatically. The same Narendra Modi was welcomed to the United States with open arms and ceremonial garlands, a vivid illustration of how political fortunes and international relations can shift, often rendering past stances obsolete. This episode serves as a poignant reminder of the fluidity and complexity inherent in global diplomacy.
International relations pundits argue that countries previously subjected to US visa policies have a ‘global status value’ inferior to that of Bangladesh. Dismissing the visa policy as inconsequential, they assert that Bangladesh has little to fret about. Any nation, after all, reserves the sovereign right to grant or deny visas to anyone which is a matter of internal governance.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department, issued a press release on September 22, 2023, declaring the imposition of visa bans on key figures in Bangladesh’s law enforcement, government, and opposition parties, by accusing them of “undermining Bangladesh’s democratic electoral process”. While the US boasts of being committed to fostering peaceful, free, and fair elections in Bangladesh, the list of the affected individuals remains undisclosed.
In a subsequent press conference organized by the Bangladesh Mission in New York, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina retorted that the Awami League would reclaim power if the electorate wills it. She warned that any foreign interference aimed at disrupting the elections would not be tolerated. Her party’s faith lies in the power vested in the people by Article 7 of the Constitution. Should any entity attempt to destabilize the electoral process, the people of Bangladesh would impose their own sanctions.
The US has previously imposed visa restrictions on African nations like Nigeria, Uganda, and Somalia. These bans were either enacted before or after their respective elections. Analysts argue that while such visa bans have been implemented in African countries, they have failed to achieve their intended objectives.
A mere nine days before the US announced its visa policy concerning Bangladesh, similar restrictions were levied on Nigeria. The US has targeted individuals for “voter intimidation, election manipulation, and anti-democratic activities” in Nigeria. In the run-up to the 2019 Nigerian elections, the US had warned of visa bans against those who compromised electoral fairness.
In the labyrinthine corridors of international diplomacy, the US visa restrictions have become a proverbial bull in a china shop, wreaking havoc and stirring the pot in an already complex geopolitical landscape.
Bangladesh, in particular, seems to be extending an inordinate amount of deference to US embassy staff – individuals who are, at the end of the day, mere clerks dispatched from Washington. The level of access these embassy personnel enjoy within Bangladesh’s borders the incredulous, especially for a nation that is sovereign and fought its indolence at the sacrifice of three million people.
It may be mentioned here that, during the war of independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the United States was one of the key rivals, which had collaborated with Pakistani occupation forces. At that time, the Soviet Union and India stood firm in favor of Bangladesh’s war of independence.
Finally, the American conspiracy against Bangladesh’s aspiration of independence from the evil clutches of Pakistani occupation forces was bogged down in the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal. Despite such a historic fact, it is extremely unfortunate that the Bangladesh government and a section of our boot-licking shameless media are giving undue attention and importance to those clerks from Washington.
In Indonesia, the same US embassy staff face a maze of bureaucratic hurdles just to meet with a government minister, a stark contrast to their near-unrestricted access in Bangladesh. This difference highlights Indonesia’s vigilance in safeguarding its sovereignty, setting a standard that Bangladesh might well consider emulating.
This glaring disparity raises questions about misplaced priorities among the so-called “important people” in Bangladesh. While they fret over US visa restrictions, the average Bangladeshi is scouting for opportunities abroad, eager to carve out a better life. Personally, I have been inundated with offers for asylum which would be followed by citizenship from countries like America, Canada, and the European Union. Yet, I have steadfastly declined each one. To me, accepting such offers would be tantamount to turning my back on my homeland. Bangladesh is the soil that nurtured me, and it is here that I intend to breathe my last. The notion of abandoning it for foreign shores is not just unpalatable; it’s downright unpatriotic.
For those wringing their hands over US visa concerns, it’s time to take a step back and reassess. There is simply no reason to be consumed by worry. When one travels to the US or any other foreign land, they either contribute financially or lend their skills to help build that nation. Now, more than ever, is the moment for Bangladeshis to redirect that focus and energy toward bolstering our own homeland. The call of the hour is to stand united in support of Bangladesh, prioritizing its growth and prosperity above all else.
