Bangladesh has requested the United States (US) to provide Bangladeshi products duty-free access to its market, while also inviting more US investment in Bangladesh.
Md. Shahriar Alam, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, made the request during a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Wednesday in New York, along with other Ministers and senior officials from Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, according to a foreign ministry press release.
During the conference, Alam emphasized Bangladesh’s social and economic accomplishments under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership, especially during the COVID-19 scenario.
The state minister discussed the climatic difficulties that Bangladesh and other climate-vulnerable countries face, as well as Dhaka’s pioneering role in addressing these issues.
The Rohingya situation was also discussed at the meeting, with Bangladesh’s junior minister urging the international community, particularly the United States, to take immediate steps to ensure the Rohingyas’ safe, dignified, and long-term return to Myanmar.
On a bilateral level, Alam brought up the deportation of Rashed Chowdhury, the self-confessed assassin of Bangabandhu who now lives in the United States.
Sherman noted the long-standing ties between Bangladesh and the United States and promised to work with Bangladesh more closely in the coming days.
Alam congratulated Ambassador Donald Lu, the newly appointed US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, at the meeting.
The state minister is now in New York as part of the Bangladesh delegation led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the 76th United Nations General Assembly.
