Bangladesh's Junior Minister discusses trade, energy and defence with US official
Dhaka, May 19
Bangladesh's state minister for foreign affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, met the US Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, S. Paul Kapur, at the State Department. They discussed areas of mutual interest, including trade, energy and defence, the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC said.
"The State Minister met the US Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), S Paul Kapur, at the State Department. During the meeting, both the Bangladesh State Minister and the US Assistant Secretary expressed satisfaction at the upward trajectory of Bangladesh-US relations. They reaffirmed commitment to further strengthening the partnership across various aspects of mutual interests including trade, energy, defense, Rohingya crisis, Indo-Pacific and people-to-people contact. They underscored the importance of regular high-level dialogues to maintain momentum in the growing relationship", the press release on Tuesday said. "The meeting was preceded by another meeting with the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) Andrew Veprek at the bureau's office. During this meeting, the State Minister thanked the United States Government for their continued support to the Rohingyacause. Both the State Minister and the Assistant Secretary (PRM) agreed to work together to ensure sustainable and safe return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar", it added. Apart from the meetings with the senior US government officials, Shama Obaed Islam met with the president of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Dr Daniel Twining, at the IRI headquarters in Washington, DC. The state minister appreciated the IRI's longstanding partnership in supporting Bangladesh's democratic development. She commended IRI's election observation delegation for its constructive role in promoting transparent and credible elections in Bangladesh. She highlighted the government's commitment to inclusive democracy, youth empowerment, women's political participation, protection of religious minorities, and strengthening civil society and media capacity. Later, in the afternoon, the state minister addressed a roundtable discussion at the Atlantic Council, a Washington, DC-based premier think tank, where she highlighted Bangladesh's democratic transition, economic openness, and commitment to balanced and pragmatic foreign policy. In her remarks, she underscored the growing Bangladesh-US partnership in trade, energy, technology, and education, while reaffirming Bangladesh's vision for regional stability and constructive engagement with its neighbours. The state minister also responded to questions from the participants of the hybrid event.
Following the roundtable discussion, the state minister held a bilateral meeting with the executive vice president of the Atlantic Council, Jenna Ben-Yehuda. In the meeting, the state minister reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to constitutional democracy, inclusive development, women's empowerment, minority rights, and regional stability. She also underscored the importance of sustaining international attention on the Rohingya crisis and called for greater engagement by leading US policy institutions in fostering a balanced, informed, and objective understanding of Bangladesh globally. Bangladesh Embassy officials and officials of the State Department, IRI and Atlantic Council assisted the respective principals in all the events.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see Bangladesh engaging with the US on trade and energy. But I wish more attention was given to worker rights and democratic freedoms. The IRI meeting about elections is promising, but let's see if it translates to real change on the ground.
As an Indian, I'm watching this closely. Bangladesh-US cooperation on defense and Indo-Pacific could affect regional balance. But it's natural for Dhaka to diversify partnerships - we should focus on strengthening our own ties with Bangladesh. Rohingya crisis needs a collective solution.
A well-rounded approach by Bangladesh - covering trade, energy, defense AND human rights like Rohingya and women's participation. The Atlantic Council talk about 'balanced foreign policy' is key in today's multipolar world. Kudos to the state minister for articulating this vision.
Important discussions but I'm skeptical about the 'democratic development' part. Bangladesh's election credibility has been questioned before. The IRI's involvement is positive in principle, but the government must walk the talk on minority rights and media freedom.
From a South Asian perspective, this meeting showcases how smaller nations are leveraging great power competition for their benefit. But Dhaka must be careful not to get caught in any crossfire. The Rohingya crisis is a stain on humanity - glad it's part of the agenda.
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