BANGLADESH PERSPECTIVE

Dhaka, July 17, 2026. The Bangladesh government is closely watching the US administration's announcement of stricter visa rules for students, cultural exchange professionals, and foreign journalists, which has been widely reported by the Bangladeshi press, as the country's perception of the US continues to deteriorate. According to the final rule announced by the Department of Homeland Security, as reported by the Daily Star, F visas for students and J visas for cultural exchange will be capped at a maximum of four years, compared to the previous duration that was aligned with the program or employment. I visas for foreign journalists, which could previously be issued for multiple years, will be limited to 240 days - and 90 days for Chinese nationals - with the possibility of extension. The measure will take effect 60 days after its publication in the federal register, subject to Congressional review.

The US Department of Homeland Security justifies this tightening by citing a dramatic increase in the number of visas issued: over 1.8 million student admissions in 2024 (up 11% from the previous year), as well as 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 journalists who were hosted during the 2024 fiscal year.

For Dhaka, this announcement is part of the migration crackdown initiated by the US since January 2025, marked by the revocation of student visas and green cards for ideological reasons. This comes as a Pew Research Centre survey, widely commented on by the Bangladeshi press, reveals that China is now viewed more favorably than the US in Bangladesh: 61% of respondents trust Chinese President Xi Jinping, compared to 25% for Donald Trump. The report also highlights the erosion of a traditional American image asset, the perceived respect for individual freedoms, which is now credited more to Beijing than to Washington by Bangladeshi respondents.

On the domestic front, the press is also reporting on the structural challenges facing Bangladeshi journalism: Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon has called for the implementation of the ninth "Wage Board", which guarantees decent salaries and professional stability, arguing that financial insecurity fosters less ethical journalism. This contrast - tightening American doors for foreign journalists, economic fragility of the profession at home - is fueling concern in Dhaka about a shrinking of professional and academic prospects for the South Asian student diaspora in the US.