UNB, Dhaka :
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday conveyed to visiting US congressmen Ed Case and Richard McCormick that there is no scope for reaching any consensus as BNP wants the government to step down.
He conveyed the message when the congressmen wanted to know whether there is any way to reach consensus with the opposition.
Momen also asked them whether the US government would step down prior to the election there. “Certainly not,” Momen said, adding that, “Will you sit in discussion if there is such a demand? Certainly not.”
The US Congressional delegation of Congressman Rich McCormick of Georgia and Congressman Ed Case of Hawaii met Foreign Minister Momen at the State Guest House Padma.US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas was also present in the meeting.
From the Bangladesh side, among others, Special Envoy to the Prime Minister for Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury; Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Kazi Nabil Ahmed; and Mohammad A. Arafat were present at the meeting.
They held “fruitful discussions” on Bangladesh-US partnership on various areas, including trade and economy, Rohingya response, global health, climate change and upcoming general elections of Bangladesh. Ties with China also came up for discussion.
Momen said there is a need for sincere efforts from all political parties to hold a free and fair election.
Talking to reporters, the foreign minister said the election will be held as per the existing rules.
He said the Bangladesh government wants fair and transparent elections, free of violence where all political parties have a role.
The foreign minister said the opposition is only talking about the resignation of the government instead of thinking about the next election. “Resignation of the government cannot be a topic,” he said.
Momen said Bangladesh Awami League has always been a pro-election political party.
He said the government is committed to hold a free and fair election and people will decide their leaders.
He said they discussed the growing trade relations between the two countries and he invited the US to invest more in Bangladesh in diverse areas, including in the pharmaceutical sector.
The foreign minister said they also discussed the Rohingya crisis and Indo-Pacific region and Bangladesh briefly talked about its Indo-Pacific Outlook that seeks a free, fair, inclusive and secure region.
Momen said the government welcomes frequent visits from the US which will help build stronger communication between the two sides and let them know facts instead of depending on propaganda and fake news.
In the morning, the congressmen visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka. Both Congressmen were accompanied by their spouses at that time.
Referring to the visit as moving, Congressmen said that it was indeed a great tragedy for Bangladesh to lose such a personality and that too so early.
Foreign Minister Momen described Bangladesh-US relations as warm, dynamic, multifaceted and forward-looking and stressed that the bilateral relations should only “deepen and broaden” as Bangladesh economy continues to grow rapidly under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He expressed hope that the US investment in Bangladesh will expand and diversify as Bangladesh offers potential in many areas, including ICT, pharmaceuticals, and steel. He also sought US congressional support for duty-free access of Bangladesh’s textile and garments products made of US cotton.
The US delegation expressed their keenness to look into the partnership in pharmaceuticals, among others.
The delegation praised Bangladesh for generous hosting of over 1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
The meeting discussed the way forward in the context of gradual decline in the aid for Rohingya.
The Foreign Minister appreciated the US Government for its humanitarian support for the Rohingyas and stressed on the importance of working together towards achieving the ultimate goal of repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas to their homeland.
Director General (North America) Khandker Masudul Alam and other Foreign Ministry officials were also present.
Spouses of the Congressmen, Dr. Debra Miller and Audrey Case, the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas and other US officials accompanied the congressional delegation.
Case and McCormick will visit Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on Monday and hold meetings with various stakeholders.
The US embassy said they are pleased to welcome the first congressional delegation since 2017.
While in Dhaka, representatives McCormick (R-GA) and Case (D-HI) are meeting with government officials, and civil society members to discuss the importance of free and fair elections and issues of mutual interest to strengthen bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States.
