C T Online Desk: A series of meetings were held in Washington with Bangladesh’s new Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin, focusing on the enhancement of bilateral relations between the United States and Bangladesh.
Key areas of discussion included economic collaboration, counterterrorism efforts, democratic reforms, and responses to the Rohingya crisis.
Jashim Uddin went to the US on October 7 on his first visit abroad, after taking charge as the foreign secretary in September following the formation of the interim government led by Noble Laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus on August 8.
At the State Department, he had separate meetings with Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma, Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs John Bass and Acting Assistant Secretary for Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Marta Costanzo Youth on Thursday.
South Asia’s point person Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu was present at a lunch meeting between him and key officials including Acting Assistant Secretary Marta C Youth, Deputy Assistant Secretary Nicole Chulick, Deputy Assistant Secretary Monica Ager Jacobsen, as well as Director Alla P Kamins.
He also met with Brendan Lynch, assistant USTR for South and Central Asia, on October 10, and Lindsey W Ford, special assistant to the President Joe Biden and Sr Director for South Asia, at the White House.
All those meetings focused on a wide range of issues of mutual interests, as shared by the US officials in their respective X, formerly Twitter, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka.
Bangladesh and the US relations took a new turn last month when President Joe Biden held a rare meeting with Dr Muhammad Yunus on the side-lines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
During the meeting, Biden assured strong support for democratic reforms and economic restructuring in Bangladesh.
Following this, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Dr Yunus, where they had detailed discussions on cooperation between the two countries.
Earlier, on September 15, a high-level US delegation with Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu visited Bangladesh.
In the context of these visits and meetings, the foreign secretary is now on a trip to Washington.
He attended the UN meetings in New York first and then travelled to Washington to meet senior officials of the State Department.
Meeting with Richard Verma
The foreign secretary had a “productive” meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Ambassador Richard Verma at the Department of State, affirming the renewal of commitment to deepen and expand bilateral ties and strengthen collaboration on areas of mutual interest.
“Discussions focused on the US technical and financial support to reform initiatives of the interim government and addressing challenges, Rohingya issue, labour law reforms etc,” the foreign ministry said.
Verma said in X: “Pleased to meet with Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin to reaffirm the United States’ support for democratic reforms, stability, and strengthening of Bangladesh’s economy.”
Meeting with John Bass
The foreign ministry said the Foreign Secretary and the Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs John Bass discussed ways “to deepen bilateral collaboration building on the momentum in the Bangladesh-US relationship and to advance impactful cooperation in priority areas.”
“Appreciated meeting today with Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Uddin to discuss our partnership on shared economic and counterterrorism goals. We discussed the vital importance of U.S.-Bangladesh cooperation for regional security and prosperity,” John Bass wrote in X.
Meeting with Marta Costanzo Youth
The meeting with the Acting Assistant Secretary for Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Marta Costanzo Youth dominated the Rohingya response.
“Great meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin. The U.S. and Bangladesh have been partners on the Rohingya response from the beginning. The U.S. is committed to continuing to support the response and encourage other donors to do more,” Marta Youth wrote in X.
Meeting with Assistant USTR
The foreign secretary also had “productive” discussions with Brendan Lynch, assistant USTR for South and Central Asia, on October 10 – on mutual cooperation “to diversify export, DFQF access of RMGs produced from cotton imported from US, simplification of registration and reduction of registration fees for pharmaceutical products, labour law reforms, and access to US International Development Finance Cooperation”.
Meeting with Lindsey Ford
“Very insightful and candid discussions on diverse issues at the meeting between Foreign Secretary and Special Assistant to the President and Sr Director for South Asia Lindsey W Ford at the White House,” the foreign ministry said.
“Talks covered the interim government’s reform agenda, democratic transition, economic and security issues, regional stability, Rohingya crisis, labour law etc.”
