The new US administration will send a high-level delegation to visit Bangladesh marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and celebration of the golden jubilee of independence.
US Ambassador in Dhaka Earl Miller informed Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen that “a high-level dignitary from the US Government is likely to visit Bangladesh in near future to attend the year-long celebration”.
The foreign ministry on Wednesday said the ambassador also stated that “there is possibility of receiving video messages from US leadership on the occasion of the upcoming 10-day long celebration in this month”.
Bangabandhu’s birth centenary and golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence will be celebrated from March 17 to March 26.
The Ambassador called on the Foreign Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mainly to discuss his recent official visit to Washington DC on February 23-27.
Foreign Minister Dr Momen termed his visit to the US as a successful one, and stated that he had a “very fruitful” discussion with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The US Ambassador also informed that he received “good feedback” from his Capital on the meeting.
Dr Momen also informed the Ambassador about his talks, during the visit, with US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and five US lawmakers; and about his participation in three events organised by US Chambers, Newlines Institute and the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) respectively.
He recalled that he requested the US Secretary of State to appoint a Special Envoy on Rohingya, in order to monitor and put pressure on Myanmar to ensure safe and dignified repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
He urged the US lawmakers he met to support this idea and demand the same.
He also called for suspension of the GSP facility and imposition of economic sanction on Myanmar by the US. He also reiterated, during the visit, Bangladesh’s strong expectation that the US Administration would facilitate the deportation of Rashed Chowdhury, the convicted killer of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman soon.
The Foreign Minister also called for legalization of undocumented Bangladeshis in the US during his meetings with US lawmakers.
He sought US cooperation for introducing more renewable energy in Bangladesh, especially through promoting electric vehicles.
During the meeting with the US Chambers, Foreign Minister Dr Momen asked for a three-year moratorium on US tariff on Bangladesh’s exports, and also proposed that Bangladeshi readymade garments can be exempted from tariff in exchange of fulfilling the condition of using US cotton.
He and US Special Envoy Jon Kerry agreed to continue close collaboration between two countries in the area of climate change.
The Foreign Minister invited the US Secretary of State to visit Bangladesh this year to participate in the celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and the Golden Jubilee of our independence, visit the Rohingya camps and witness the socio-economic development Bangladesh has achieved.
He also invited the US lawmakers to visit Bangladesh in a group in the near future. He also informed the US Ambassador about his attending a ceremony in Bangladeshi-owned university during his visit.
The US Ambassador expressed willingness to work closely with the Bangladesh government to follow up the discussion that Dr Momen had in Washington DC with his counterpart and other high dignitaries.
Both sides also expressed satisfaction about the upcoming launching of the US-Bangladesh Business Council in this month.