Staff Reporter :
A parliamentary delegation has told the US government that Bangladesh is taking all possible measures to hold a free, fair and participatory general election.
The delegation noted that all the political parties should support and assist the government’s efforts because they all had a role in ensuring peaceful transfer of power.
After holding a series of meetings with US government’s stakeholders in USA, the visiting parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made such remarks in different meetings, a press release said on Saturday. Muhammad Faruk Khan, Chairman of the Standing Committee, is leading the Parliamentary delegation. Other members of the team are Nurul Islam Nahid, Nahim Razzaq, and Kazi Nabil Ahmed.
The parliamentary team also sought support of International Republican Institute (IRI) for strengthening the Election Commission of Bangladesh.
In addition, the standing committee raised the issue of recent US sanctions on RAB and its senior officials.
During a meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Ambassador Donald Lu, the visiting delegation sought the assistance of the Biden administration for the early deportation of Bangabandhu’s killer Rashed Chowdhury.
In their meeting, the Parliamentary team discussed the entire range of issues encompassing the Bangladesh-U.S. partnership and expressed resolve to deepen engagements between the two countries.
Ambassador Lu was highly appreciative of the Bangladesh Government’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic, terming its vaccine distribution system as one of the best in the world.
The two sides discussed Bangladesh’s huge potential in the IT and ICT sectors and looked forward to expanding cooperation between the Silicon Valley and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Parks.
Faruk Khan emphasised the importance of resumption of the Dhaka-New York direct Biman flight for enhanced people-to-people and business-to-business relations.
Congressman Dwight Evans, a key member of the US House Ways and Means Committee, praised the proactive role of the Bangladeshi diaspora in developing the local community in his constituency in Philadelphia.
Recalling his visit to Bangladesh in October 2019, Congressman Evans expressed hope that the visit by the Bangladesh Parliamentary delegation to the United States would further bolster the US-Bangladesh relationship.
He assured of his continued support for the Bangladeshi American diaspora as well as closer Bangladesh-US partnership.
The Bangladesh side appreciated the US humanitarian and political support extended to Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue.
They requested Congressman Evans to continue his efforts with the US Capitol and the Biden Administration to put sustained pressure on Myanmar for accepting the forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
