I landed at JFK airport in New York on May 24 last without any problem at the immigration on my way to Mexico to attend the World Congress of the International Theatre Institute. I obtained my Mexican visa in New York the next day and I must confess, they have the most civilised system to deal with the visa seekers. When I left for Mexico from New York, I had to take off my shoes and do some acrobatics before boarding the aircraft as a part of security check. An elderly Bangladeshi lady was also subjected to that kind of random check. Poor citizens of a 'moderate Muslim country' as often lovingly termed by our American friends!

On my way back to US from Mexico, the immigration officer at Houston airport asked me what was the purpose of my visit to Iran and Afghanistan when he found visas of these two countries in my passport. I told him that I was invited by the Iranian Centre of the International Theatre Institute as the world body's Vice-President to attend an International Theatre Festival and I went to Afghanistan at the invitation of UNICEF to present a communication campaign on behalf of my advertising agency. I must tell here that the visa officer at the US Embassy in Dhaka didn't ask me this question while interviewing me in May 2004. Anyway, the officer was not satisfied and he sent me to a room where a few other 'suspects' like me were waiting to be interrogated.

One officer asked me innumerable questions including date of birth of my parents. He looked at every page of my passport and asked the purpose of my visits to all the countries. When I told that I visited Singapore for the treatment of my wife, he even asked what was my wife's ailment. After a half an hour session, he asked me to follow him to a counter. As there was none in the counter, he told me to wait. After waiting for about forty-five minutes, I requested the desk officer to see that my case is disposed off without further delay as I have a connecting flight to New York. He sent me to another officer. When this officer started questioning me, I told him that I had given these information to his colleague. His reply was that there was no input in the computer. Just imagine! Besides asking new set of questions, he got me fill in a new form and minutely looked at every piece of paper in my wallet. I showed the name card of my sister who was a Vice President of a commercial bank when I was asked whom I was going to visit. I have forgotten how may times I had to give thumb impression. Finally, I was allowed to cross the immigration after about two hours with the instruction that I report to a special counter at the JFK airport while leaving the country. My age, social and professional status, urgency to catch the connecting flight -- nothing mattered.

I missed my connecting flight to New York. My fellow traveller Nasiruddin Yousuff who had a good luck with the immigration, was anxiously waiting for me for long two hours and also missed the connecting flight.

I don't think I will visit US again to face such humiliation at this age and with my background. I will rather stay away from America with my modest dignity. God bless America!