Staff Reporter :
A high-level United States delegation, led by Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Nicole Ann Chulick, and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Andrew R. Herrup, arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday for a three-day official visit.
This visit marks the first by a US delegation following the re-election of President Donald Trump, reflecting a renewed American interest in enhancing bilateral relations with Bangladesh amid shifting regional dynamics.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visiting delegation is scheduled to meet with senior Bangladeshi government figures, including Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and National Security Adviser Maj. Gen. (Retd) Khalilur Rahman, among others.
The visit is widely seen as part of Washington’s broader strategic engagement in South and Southeast Asia. Deputy Assistant Secretary Chulick is expected to engage in discussions centred on the reform initiatives of Bangladesh’s interim government and the country’s ongoing democratic transition.
Meanwhile, Deputy Assistant Secretary Herrup will focus on regional developments, notably the Rohingya refugee crisis and the situation in neighbouring Myanmar. US chargé d’affaires in Myanmar, Susan Stevenson, is also anticipated to participate in related consultations.
In a significant outreach effort, Ms Chulick held successive meetings with leaders from both established and emerging political entities in Bangladesh, underscoring US interest in inclusive dialogue.
One such meeting was held with the leadership of the National Citizen Party (NCP). Following the meeting, NCP Convener Nahid Islam spoke to the media, expressing concerns about the impartiality of the interim administration.
“We are observing a tendency of the administration to favour the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in various regions,” Nahid alleged. “There is also a noticeable silence regarding widespread extortion at the grassroots level. Under such circumstances, holding free and fair elections is not feasible.”
He emphasised the need for a neutral environment to ensure credible polls. “A level playing field requires a neutral administration, law enforcement, and bureaucracy,” he said.
The NCP leader also noted that the party’s participation in upcoming elections would depend on the implementation of essential reforms. “We conveyed to the US delegation that elections held without substantive reform will not be acceptable,” he stated.
He further alleged that NCP members and activists have been targeted in different parts of the country, with little response from the authorities. “We raised these concerns during our discussion with the US officials,” he added.
According to Nahid, the visiting delegation expressed interest in the broader political context, ongoing reform measures, and the outlook for democratic processes in Bangladesh.
“They were particularly interested in the situation of minority communities and how new political platforms are emerging, operating, and shaping their agendas,” he said.
Nahid reiterated his party’s key demands-justice, comprehensive reforms, and the holding of elections through a Constituent Assembly. “We are not seeking cosmetic changes. Our aim is structural transformation. Any election without such reform will not have legitimacy,” he concluded.
The US delegation’s visit is expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of the current political dynamics in Bangladesh and may help inform Washington’s policy approach in the region going forward.
