Bilateral talks to focus on Rohingya crisis, FM says ahead of US official's visit

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday said US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu's upcoming visit will have a focus on the Rohingya crisis.

Donald Lu is coming here mainly to discuss the Rohingya crisis, he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question.

Other issues will certainly come up for discussion, Hasan said.

The foreign minister, however, did not share the date of Lu’s arrival in Dhaka.

The minister said relations with the US remain “excellent,” and the two countries are working closely to further improve ties.

"In the future, we will continue to work closely, and relations will deepen," he added.

A diplomatic source last week indicated that Lu might be in Dhaka on May 14 on a two-day visit, which is seen as an opportunity to discuss ways for future cooperation.

The US assistant secretary is likely to discuss bilateral issues with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen apart from his courtesy meetings with Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and prime minister’s adviser Salman F Rahman, the source told UNB.

After the January 7 election, the US in a statement the next day said: "Looking ahead, the United States remains committed to partnering with Bangladesh to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, to supporting human rights and civil society in Bangladesh, and to deepening our people-to-people and economic ties."

In February, Eileen Laubacher, special assistant to the US president and senior director for South Asia, US National Security Council (NSC); Michael Schiffer, USAID assistant administrator, Bureau for Asia; and Afreen Akhter, US Department of State deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, were on a three-day visit to Bangladesh.

"There is willingness from both sides. Together, we want to create a new chapter in our relations," Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters at the time after his meeting with the US delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"It is a pleasure for us to talk about our shared priorities and ways for us to cooperate together in the future," Laubacher told reporters in her very brief remarks.

Source: UNB