Foreign secy meets ex-us envoy Peter Haas
Diplomatic Correspondent :
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam held a long meeting with former US Ambassador to Dhaka Peter Haas at the former’s office on Thursday. However, the outcome of the meeting was not disclosed.
Sources said that the meeting lasted for nearly one-hour as it began at 8:48 am and continued until around 9:30 am.
Peter Haas arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday, for a week-long trip. As part of the visit, he traveled to Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday, returning to Dhaka later that night.
His movements have fueled fresh speculation about reported contacts with leaders of the National Citizen’s Party (NCP).
Earlier, reports claimed that on August 5 Haas secretly met five senior NCP figures at Hotel Sea Pearl in Cox’s Bazar, including Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, northern and southern organizers Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, and senior joint secretary Tasnim Jara.
The report sparked nationwide debate, but it was later confirmed Haas was in the United States on that date.
Haas completed his term as US ambassador in October last year and soon after joined Excelerate Energy, a multinational firm that operates a floating LNG terminal in Maheshkhali.
The company cited Haas’ deep familiarity with Bangladesh as the reason for his appointment. Since then, he has continued regular visits to the country.
In April, he attended a US-Bangladesh Business Council meeting in Dhaka that focused on energy security, investment, and technology. During that visit, he also met interim government Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
His latest discussions with the foreign secretary have now prompted renewed debate in diplomatic circles about the nature and implications of his engagements in Bangladesh.
Before the 12th parliamentary election during the Hasina administration, Hass was a household name as he was shuttling between the government and opposition political parties because the US government was pressing Bangladesh to hold a free, fair and inclusive election.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party and some other parties boycotted the election and Awami League came to power again.
Peter Haas tried for the last moment to hold the inclusive election but his attempt failed while US government changed its visa policy for Bangladeshis restricting that those who would undermine the election would face visa restrict.
The US Embassy in Dhaka also urged the political parties to sit across the table to resolve the difference to hold free and fair election. But all failed.
Interestingly, when the 12th parliamentary election was being held, Peter Haas was absent from Bangladesh and went on a vacation.
Now the Interim Government has given a roadmap that the 13th general election would be held early next year.
On Wednesday, the Charge d’affaires of the US Embassy Dhaka Tracey Ann Jacobson at the Election Commission stated that the US government wants to see a free and fair election and it does not support any particular party.
Meanwhile, the Donald Trump administration has nominated Brent Christensen, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Bangladesh.
If Donald Trump’s nomination receives the senate’s approval, Brent will be the next US Ambassador to Dhaka and he is likely to be in Bangladesh to see the next election.
