US assistant secretary Donald Lu arrives in Dhaka

Diplomatic Correspondent :
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu has arrived in Dhaka on a two-day visit.
Upon arrival from India, Director General (Americas) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nayem Uddin Ahmed received Lu at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday evening.
“Welcome to Bangladesh, Assistant Secretary Donald Lu. While in Dhaka, Assistant Secretary Lu will meet with senior Bangladeshi officials to discuss strengthening our bilateral relationship,” US Embassy in Dhaka tweeted.
During the visit, the US assistant secretary will meet senior government officials to discuss strengthening bilateral relationships between the two countries. Lu is scheduled to hold a meeting with Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at his Segunbagicha office in the city on Sunday morning. He will also hold a meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.
The meetings will discuss a range of priorities including energy, trade, security cooperation, religious freedom, labour, and human rights.
Foreign Ministry sources said that the Bangladesh side would raise the issue of extradition of Bangabandhu’s killer Rashed Chowdhury during the meetings.
Assistant secretary Lu will also meet with senior Bangladeshi officials and civil society leaders to discuss strengthening their bilateral relationship, expanding economic engagement and hear their perspectives on labour and human rights, according to the US Department of State.
Meanwhile, Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Saturday said that Bangladesh would request the United States to reconsider the sanctions imposed on elite force RAB and withdraw the sanctions considering its positive role in the country.
‘RAB is now much more mature. We will request the US to reconsider the decision,’ he told reporters after attending a discussion at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban Auditorium of University of Dhaka, reports UNB.
“We will raise our issues. They will raise their issues. But others don’t need to teach us democracy. Democracy, human rights and justice are rooted in each of our hearts,’ said the foreign minister.
Meanwhile, political and diplomatic circles have been paying special attention to the meeting between the government and Donald Lu.
They observed that Bangladesh has become a centre of attention as the major powers including the US, Russian and China have special interests in this region where India is also a regional actor.
Now it is time to see how Bangladesh plays the role in dealing with major powers.