No change in US visa policy

The Nafis issue has not led to any chang in United States' visa policy for Bangladeshi students, an US diplomat said on Tuesday.

The statement from the US embassy’s deputy chief of mission came as great respite for thousands of worried students from Bangladesh who are seeking US visa for education.

“Nothing has changed in the way we processed students’ visa and other kind of visas since Mr. Nafis was arrested in New York,” Jon F. Danilowicz said during a meet-the-press programme on Tuesday.

The meet was organised to share the views of visiting assistant secretary of the bureau of educational and cultural affairs, Ann Stock.

The question on the US visa policy was raised in the backdrop of Quazi Mohamamd Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis pleading guilty in a US court of being involved in a plot to blow up the New York Federal Reserve building. The court will pronounce his sentence on May 30.

According to Ann Stock, 3,314 Bangladeshi students were studying in US in 2012. “We want to have more of them,” she said.

Danilowicz said their visa wing of the US embassy has two objectives – one to protect the borders of US and facilitate legitimate travels including students.

Bangladesh-born Nafis, 21, went to the United States on Jan 2012 for education. He was arrested in Oct last year.

After his arrest, the US Department of Justice said he had been charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to provide material support to al Qaeda.

In his confessional statement, Nafis said he became a follower of Osama Bin Laden and plotted a terrorist attack before he went to the US.

But he was all regrets now. “I no longer support violent jihad. I deeply regret my involvement in this case,” he said during confession.

His family, however, alleged Nafis was a victim of conspiracy. He faces up to life in jail in this case.

‘Students key to future Bangla-US ties’