News Desk :
The visiting US deputy secretary of state Stephen E. Biegun has said that Washington sees Bangladesh as a ‘key partner’ in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The United States sees Bangladesh as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region and we’re committed to growing our partnership in this regard to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. Bangladesh will be a centerpiece of our work in the region,” he said in a joint press briefing after his meeting with foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at State Guest House Padma in the capital on Thursday.
During the meeting, they discussed a whole range of issues between the countries including Covid-19 pandemic, Rohingya crisis, trade and investment, blue economy and climate change.
“We discussed our invaluable cooperation in combating COVID-19, the impressive results that the government here in Bangladesh has achieved, and our work together on producing and rolling out important protective equipment and also medicines in the near future, ultimately with the hope of close coordination and cooperation on the distribution of vaccines once one is found to be safe and reliable,” the Deputy Secretary of State said.
Biegun said the United States looks forward to Bangladesh participating in the upcoming Indo-Pacific Business Forum, an opportunity for us to continue our discussions on economic cooperation on a bilateral and multilateral basis.
He also said Bangladesh places a strong emphasis on the importance of private sector-led growth. “We’ve each appointed a representative to lead our governments’ engagement.”
“Together they have started a process of developing a work plan that as we execute it will
only deepen our economic relationship between the United States and Bangladesh,” he said.
Biegun informed the Foreign Minister that the United States has granted all approvals for the establishment of a new Bangladeshi Consulate in Miami.
“We look forward to broadening the official diplomatic presence of our Bangladeshi friends to serve the interests of Americans and the large Bangladeshi-American community which is a robust part of American society,” said the US Deputy Secretary of State.
Replying to a question, Biegun said, the regional and international community should redouble its efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
“I want to emphasise that this requires a regional and global response where all countries need to work together shoulder to shoulder,” he said, adding, “It is not simply the responsibility of the government of Bangladesh, but a global priority.”
He said, “Every major country in the Indo-Pacific should be equally outspoken to ensure the Myanmar government takes the necessary steps to ease the crisis.”
Biegun, who also met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is scheduled to leave for home on Friday morning.
Later, at a roundtable discussion with a select group of journalists, he said currently the relations between Bangladesh and the USA is in “very good shape”.
He said the US private sector has showed their attention to Bangladesh considering its stable economic growth and large number of domestic consumers, not following any geopolitical context.
Biegun said the US was never disinterested in Bangladesh rather it has been continuing its cooperation with Bangladesh for decades since the country’s independence.
The Deputy Secretary of State said the US would like to deepen and improve the growing closeness of cooperation with Bangladesh, especially in the trade and investment fronts.
