Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) stands as a fundamental pillar: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional, or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing, or under any other limitation of sovereignty”.
However, the recent actions of the US Department of State, involving visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals associated with undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh, have sparked concerns about human rights violations. Critics argue that this decision contravenes Article 2 of the UDHR, which expressly forbids discrimination based on national and social origin. While the US positions itself as a guardian of human rights, questions arise about its authority to meddle in the affairs of countries it deems vulnerable. Many assert that these visa restrictions are not only a breach of human rights but also a threat to democracy itself, calling on the US to reconsider its stance and respect Bangladesh’s sovereignty.
Despite being located 8,500 kilometers away from Bangladesh, the United States has, in effect, thrust itself into the core of Bangladeshi domestic politics. While this may appear distant and inconsequential to US Indo-Pacific policymakers, for Bangladeshis, it carries the potential for long-lasting political instability. By intervening in Bangladesh’s internal matters, the US inadvertently invites other global powers like India, China, Russia, and Japan to do the same. Consequently, the US must shoulder the responsibility if Bangladesh experiences any catastrophic political repercussions.
A closer examination of the United States’ approach to human rights in the aftermath of the devastating nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki reveals a complex picture. Research from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University has unveiled a grim reality: the US has been involved in wars and conflicts that have claimed between 20.7 million and 30.4 million lives between 1945 and 2019. Concurrently, the nation has grappled with rising internal divisions marked by racial, religious, ethnic, and political discrimination.
A disconcerting analysis of 2021 data further paints a troubling portrait of the United States: violent crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, increased by an estimated 4.9%, reaching approximately 1.1 million incidents; property-related crimes, spanning burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft, rose by 4.6%, tallying a staggering 7.1 million cases; domestic terrorism incidents surged by 26%, with 61 reported occurrences, fueled by extremist ideologies such as white supremacy, anti-government sentiments, and environmental extremism; mass shootings, defined as incidents involving four or more people shot, excluding the shooter, reached 692, marking a 6% increase; and hate crimes spiked by 12.6%, totaling 7,250 reported cases, driven by biases rooted in race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. These alarming trends collectively underscore significant challenges in upholding human rights, public safety, and security in the United States. It is increasingly clear that in the 21st century, the United States and its Western allies have, at times, instrumentalized concepts like freedom, democracy, and human rights for geopolitical gains, displaying a discernible lack of empathy in their actions.
Critics argue that the United States is cynically politicizing and, to some extent, weaponizing the issuance of U.S. visas for Bangladeshi individuals. This strategic maneuver is attributed to two primary factors: heightened US interest in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly the strategic Bay of Bengal area, as part of efforts to counterbalance China’s influence, and Western powers, led by the US, fostering a disruptive political climate within Bangladesh by exploiting political rivalries and divisions while covertly or overtly supporting opposition factions to serve their own geopolitical agendas, often aimed at destabilization. As a result, the aggressive US visa policy not only has the potential to spark political unrest but could also hinder crucial Chinese projects in Bangladesh.
To counter such activities, the current government must take robust measures, extending beyond a display of law enforcement strength. Seeking international support from countries like India, China, Japan, France, several European nations, Saudi Arabia, and Russia could serve as a strategic move to deter US interference and that of its allies in Bangladesh’s upcoming general election. Additionally, it is imperative for the Awami League to exercise caution in mobilizing its party members and launching the electoral campaign.
Furthermore, combating the proliferation of fake news, which poses a substantial threat to national stability, becomes crucial. Distinguishing between sharing opinions and spreading fake news is essential. Adversaries of Bangladesh’s stability may make decisions based on fabricated news, a situation reminiscent of instances where the United States made decisions grounded in false information, as exemplified by Colin Powell’s infamous presentation on non-existent weapons of mass destruction before the Iraq War. Therefore, to safeguard national security, Bangladesh must aggressively counter fake news sources and intensify surveillance on certain political detractors and ‘apolitical’ NGOs funded by Western democracy and human rights organizations.
