Salman F Rahman assures uninterrupted Bangladesh-US trade ties despite visa policy

The recently implemented visa policy will not disrupt the flourishing trade relations between Bangladesh and the United States, Private Industry and Investment Adviser to Prime Minister Salman F Rahman said today.

"Trade has nothing to do with the visa ban; I have repetitively said that the USA is Bangladesh's largest export market, and we have successfully captured that market through competition," he told media on Saturday (23 September) after attending an event at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka.

He further clarified that, unlike other regions such as Europe, the United States does not grant any special trade privileges to Bangladesh.

"The European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, China, and India have given us duty-free access to their market while the US does not offer any such concessions. 

"Bangladesh is exporting to the competitive American market by paying 15.5% duty," he noted.

He, at the time, commended the effectiveness of US visa policy in addressing potential obstructions to the electoral process while asserting that the policy aims to target not only obstacles but also instances of violence during elections. 

"The United States is not solely concerned with obstacles during the elections; they are also concerned about violence. This means whoever engages in acts of violence during the election will be subject to this ban," he explained.

While commending the ban, he remarked, "A major opposition party has openly declared its intention to prevent elections under Sheikh Hasina's leadership, implying their potential use of violence to disrupt the electoral process. I believe this can ultimately have a positive outcome, as anyone attempting to obstruct the election will now be subject to this ban."

Addressing concerns related to election credibility, Salman F Rahman dismissed the notion that the absence of international observers, particularly from the European Union, would diminish the credibility of the electoral process. 

"It is up to them whether to send observers or not. We will conduct our elections in accordance with the constitution. 

"Our Election Commission is 100% independent. It is crucial to note that while the current government is led by Sheikh Hasina, the Election Commission operates independently. We have introduced transparent ballot boxes to ensure the integrity of the electoral process," he stated.