World : 10 Million in Bangladesh Apply for Visas to Emigrate to U.S.

More than 10 million people in Bangladesh, almost one-tenth of the country’s population, have applied for immigration visas for the United States, a post office spokesman said today.

Applications have been pouring in by tens of thousands every day across the country, and about 20 million people are expected to have applied by the March 31 deadline. The rush follows press reports here that the United States will grant about 20,000 immigration visas in the next two years to citizens of 162 under-represented countries through a computerized postal lottery system. A newspaper said applicants ranged from bank clerks to street beggars.