Sagar Biswas :US Secretary of State John Forbes Kerry arrives in Dhaka today [Monday] in a brief visit to discuss important bilateral and regional issues, especially the militancy problem, in the perspective of current global situation.It will be his first official visit to Bangladesh after sworn in as Secretary of State in 2013. He will leave for New Delhi the same day.Earlier on May, 2012, the then Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, now U.S. President Candidate, had visited Bangladesh. Foreign Office sources said a special aircraft carrying Kerry and members of his entourage from Geneva will land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:25am. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali will receive Kerry at the VVIP terminal of the airport. He will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s office at noon to discuss development, militancy, security and human rights. At the same time, the Bangladesh-US cooperation on international issues will also get priority in the talks.Meanwhile, the visit of Kerry is getting high importance against the backdrop of rising militancy in Bangladesh and other south Asian countries. Especially, the killings of militant kingpin Bangladesh origin Canadian national Tamim Chowdhury and his two accomplices in Naraynaganj on Saturday, just 48 hours before Kerry’s visit, will be added as a plus point from Bangladesh side during talks with the US counterpart, diplomatic sources said.The Bangladesh government is also considering it as a great success in curbing militancy. The high-ups of the government have appreciated the police department for the success. The Canadian government has also been informed about the killing of Tamim, and keeping close touch with Dhaka for more information, said a statement issued by Global Affairs Canada. “I think there will be new proposals from John Kerry on behalf of the US government to tackle militancy and terrorism,” US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat said on Sunday.She, however, did not elaborate the matter. “This visit [of Kerry] will open a door for cooperation,” Bernicat said.Diplomatic sources said, the US government at present is laying emphasis on close-relations with other countries, particularly on militancy issue. In line with the policy, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal visited Bangladesh after July 1 Gulshan terror attack to see the condition. As per programme, the democrat politician Kerry, who assumed office as 68th Secretary of State, will hold bilateral talks with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali at the State Guesthouse Padma at 1.15 pm.The Bangladesh Foreign Minister will host a lunch in honour of his US counterpart following the bilateral talks. Besides, he will also meet with professional groups, civil society members and media personalities to exchange views. He is scheduled to visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at 11:30am to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. According to website of the US Embassy in Dhaka, Kerry will visit K-TEX, a garment factory at Shewrapara in the city’s Mirpur at 3:00pm and Edward Kennedy Centre [EMK] at MIDAS Centre in Dhanmondi at 4:00 pm. He will also visit the residence of US Ambassador in Dhaka and Chancery Complex of US Embassy in Dhaka at 5.05 pm.The US Secretary of State will leave for New Delhi at 6.40pm the same day.A State Department release said Kerry will be in New Delhi on August 29-31 to co-chair the regular US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. Kerry and US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will meet with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, as well as other officials from both sides.
