US lawmakers keen to further strengthen ties with Bangladesh

US Senator Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) and Congressman Steve Chabot (Republican-Ohio) have expressed their willingness to facilitate further strengthening Dhaka-Washington relations, reports UNB.

They said this during separate meetings with a four-member delegation from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by its chairman Muhammad Faruk Khan.

Other members of the team were Nurul Islam Nahid, Nahim Razzak and Kazi Nabil Ahmed, according to a message received in Dhaka from Bangladesh mission in Washington on Thursday.

The meetings took place on Wednesday at the respective offices of the senator and the congressman at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M Shahidul Islam and embassy officials were present in the meetings.

During the meetings, the parliamentary delegation briefed the US lawmakers on Bangladesh's impressive socio-economic development that has taken place under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The delegation reiterated Bangladesh's request for the deportation of Rashed Chowdhury, the self-confessed killer of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

They also sought the US lawmakers' support for lifting US sanctions on the RAB, which is making tremendous contributions to the fight against extremism, terrorism, and cross-border crimes, including drugs and human trafficking.