Bangladesh
USA-Bangladesh | Elections US Deputy Assistant Secretary in Dhaka
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 16 October 2023: United States Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter has arrived in Dhaka. She came to Dhaka around 12 noon today, Monday. An airport source confirmed the US Deputy Assistant Secretary's arrival in Dhaka.
Diplomatic sources say that on the first day of the visit, the Deputy Assistant Secretary will meet with the Director General of the North American Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khandaker Masudul Alam. Later, Afreen will sit in a meeting with Foreign Secretary Masoud bin Momen.
The upcoming national elections of Bangladesh, the Rohingya issue and various issues of bilateral relations can be discussed in the meetings.
Diplomatic sources also say that the United States is very open about the Bangladesh elections. The country wants to see free and fair elections in Bangladesh. To that end, the United States has announced a new visa policy for Bangladesh this year and has recently started implementing it. This visit of Afreen may have a special message on the election issue. It is expected that she will convey Washington's message to Dhaka about engaging political parties in dialogue.
In the weekly briefing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Thursday, Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen said that the Deputy Assistant Secretary will come to Bangladesh to discuss two issues. One is the Rohingya issue and the other is the national election. Apart from this, both sides will discuss matters related to mutual interest. Afreen Akhtar visited Dhaka in November last year.
