US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal arrived here on Sunday morning on a two-day visit to discuss security issues with Bangladesh after the deadliest terrorist attack on a Dhaka café. During her stay here, Biswal will meet Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali to discuss “issues of shared concerns”. While in Dhaka, the Assistant Secretary will also offer US assistance to Bangladeshi government’s efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism, according to the US Department of State. She will meet the embassy community, local business, and other diplomatic representatives. Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque will have a meeting with her over lunch at State guesthouse Padma on Sunday. Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asia Manpreet Singh Anand is accompanying her, A diplomatic source said Biswal has a plan to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but nothing is finalised yet. Biswal will then travel to Colombo where she will meet senior government officials, political leaders, and civil society representatives to discuss bilateral economic cooperation as well as democratic governance and reconciliation. Biswal visited Dhaka on May 5 and 6 last after the brutal murder of USAID staff Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka on April 25. Meanwhile, 22 people, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian national and two policemen were killed inside and outside the café during the attack on July 1. Later on the morning of on July 2, six people along with five attackers were also killed during a commando operation. Thirteen of the hostages were rescued alive in the operation. On Friday afternoon, blood-soaked young man Shawon who was detained from outside the Holey Artisan Bakery during the hostage standoff died at a city hospital. –Dhaka, July 10 (UNB)
