Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed has received US visa to join the third United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit at the UN.
A top official at the Police Headquarters confirmed yesterday that the police chief got the visa, but could not sayfor how long it was valid or if there were any conditions attached to it.
Benazir is expected to be in New York for the two-day programme starting on August 31.
Benazir’s US visa came to the fore after the government earlier this month decided to send him to the programme even though he had been sanctioned by the US for his alleged human rights violations when he was in Rab.
On December 10, the US slapped sanctions on Benazir and six other former and current Rab officials.
The police chief is supposed to travel to the US on the invitation from the UN headquarters.
Under the US law, there is no restriction on a sanctioned person’s visit to the UN headquarters if they are invited by the UN, said officials at the PHQ.
As per a 1947 agreement between United Nations and the US, the latter will allow a sanctioned person to go to and return from the UN headquarters.
Apart from the free passage, the US is obliged to provide “any necessary protection” to UN visitors while they are in transit to UN premises, the deal adds.
On August 4, the government order (GO) regarding the IGP’s visit to US was issued.
The GO, signed by Md Harun-Or Rashid, deputy secretary of the home ministry, read that Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan would lead a six-member delegation to the summit.
