Bangladesh has urged the United States to address the root causes of the Rohingya crisis, highlighting the need for a long-term solution to the issue.
Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin conveyed Bangladesh's position during a meeting with a visiting U.S. delegation at the State Guest House Padma on Sunday. "We emphasized the importance of resolving the crisis by tackling its underlying causes. The U.S. appreciated our stance," he told reporters after the meeting.
Bangladesh also briefed the delegation on recent developments, including the influx of over 8,000 Rohingyas into the country. Bangladesh is already accommodating more than 1.2 million Rohingyas in camps located in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char.
The U.S. delegation, led by Brent Neiman, Assistant Secretary for International Finance at the U.S. Department of Treasury, and Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, held talks on various issues of mutual interest.
Other members of the U.S. team included Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Brandon Lynch and USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Anjali Kaur.
Discussions between the two sides covered a wide range of topics, including reforms in Bangladesh's financial sector, trade and investment opportunities, climate change, and ongoing law enforcement initiatives. The humanitarian response to the Rohingya situation was also a key focus of the talks.
Officials from Bangladesh’s Economic Relations Division, National Board of Revenue, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Labour and Employment, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Bangladesh Bank, participated in the meeting.
The U.S. delegation also met with Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, and Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed during their visit.
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