US reaffirms support for free thinkers, dissenters

The United States has reaffirmed its support for the Bangladeshi secular bloggers, online activists, publishers, teachers and dissenters who are in "imminent danger".

"…for some of these individuals who are in imminent danger, they can pursue, under those circumstances, a request to the Department of Homeland Security to consider something we call humanitarian parole," a diplomat of the US Embassy in Dhaka said yesterday.

However, the diplomat made it clear that applications for humanitarian parole must meet a high standard of proof.

According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), humanitarian parole is an extraordinary measure sparingly used to bring an otherwise inadmissible alien into the United States for a temporary period of time due to a compelling emergency.

"Humanitarian parole is the last resort for those who are in extreme danger," said Andrea Brouillette-Rodriguez, counsellor for Political and Economic Affairs of the US Embassy in Dhaka.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion with a select group of diplomatic correspondents at the American Centre yesterday, US diplomats from political, economic and consular sections of the US embassy called on the government and the people to work together and reject extremists' ideology.

They also said it is the responsibility of the government of Bangladesh to protect the lives of all citizens, especially those who are in extreme danger and threat.

The US Department of State reiterated its interest in trying to provide shelter to those in danger following the gruesome killings of two LGBT rights activists Xulhaz   Mannan and his friend Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy.

Giving shelter to those in danger is "an option under consideration", but it depends solely on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is responsible for the humanitarian parole approval.

"The embassy has nothing to do with the humanitarian parole issue. Those who want to apply can courier their documents directly to the DHS. The details are available on the website," said US embassy Consul General Elizabeth P Gourlay.

She also commented that the process of humanitarian parole takes time and suggested to go to a country where he/she feels safe without waiting for the US facility.

In this context, the consul general said this was very rare to get approval of the humanitarian parole by the DHS. "In my 30 years of service I myself found one case was approved by the DHS," she added.

While Political Counsellor Brouillette-Rodriguez said she found two cases in her 20 years of career.

"This rigorous process takes up to 120 days. Those who are in extreme danger probably should not wait for such a long time," she said, adding, "The humanitarian parole is not the beginning of a permanent new life in the United States."

"The Humanitarian parole is temporary measure to give a person space to reorganise their lives. The maximum duration is one year and one can only seek extension for once," the counsellor said.