Stephen E Biegun
The US government has assured Bangladesh of taking measures so that US vaccines for Covid-19 could be made available in the country after successful production.
State minister for foreign affairs M Shahriar Alam said this after his meeting with the visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E Biegun in the city on Wednesday.
"Mr Biegun has also assured us of encouraging the US companies to invest in Bangladesh. We have told him about the opportunity to invest in offshore blocks of Bangladesh, and he said that it will be encouraging for US energy companies," Mr Shariar said.
"The US also reiterated its commitment to work towards resolving the Rohingya crisis."
They intend to engage themselves in this effort after the national elections of Myanmar in November, the state minister added.
Bangladesh also sought preferential trade support for its products to accelerate the economic recovery during the post-Covid-19 era, he said.
Shahriar Alam hosted a dinner in honour of Mr Biegun, who arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon on a three-day visit.
Mr Biegun, who has been the key figure in President Trump's negotiations with North Korea, will meet Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday morning.
He is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gonobhaban at 12:00 noon.
The visit is seen as a sign of Trump administration's desire to draw Bangladesh closer as a key Indo-Pacific partner.
This is the first visit of a senior US diplomat of such stature since the visit of the then Secretary of State John Kerry in August 2016.
The US deputy secretary's engagements in Bangladesh will focus on "advancing the common vision of a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and secure Indo-Pacific region" with shared prosperity for all, according to the Office of the Spokesperson at the US Department of State.
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