ZCZC
BSS-11
MOMEN-BLINKEN-TALK
Bangladesh-US expresses desire for close collaboration
Dhaka, Feb 24, 2021 (BSS) – Bangladesh and United States (US) have
expressed desire for close collaboration to address challenges in South Asia
and the greater Indo-Pacific region.
This was reflected while US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke over
phone with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen today (Bangladesh
time), according to a US state department statement.
During the talk, the two foreign ministers discussed ways to deepen
economic, counterterrorism, and defense cooperation, and work together to
address common challenges such as climate change, it said.
“The two leaders also discussed Burma (Myanmar), a durable solution to the
Rohingya refugee crisis, and the importance of respect for labor and human
rights,” read the statement.
Secretary Blinken congratulated Foreign Minister Momen on Bangladesh’s
fiftieth anniversary of independence in 2021, it added.
Dr Momen left here for Washington DC on February 22 for his first ever
visit to the USA after Biden administration took over oval office of White
House.
“We don’t have any specific issue, we will have broad-based discussion,” he
told reporters prior to his visit.
Apart from talk with secretary of state, the Bangladesh foreign minister is
scheduled to have a series of meetings with different signatories of the new
US administration.
Dhaka wants to develop much solid relations with the USA as the new
administration is in place there.
Earlier, Momen hoped the US’s new administration of President Biden would
take the issue of deporting Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman’s convicted fugitive killer Rashed Chowdhury ‘seriously’ as it could
be a ‘game changer’ in Bangladesh-US partnership.
BSS/ASG/TA/GMR/1424 hrs