Visiting US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Steve Koehler has paid tribute at Shikha Anirban, the Eternal Flame, honoring the members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces who gave their lives during the Great Liberation War in 1971.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen accompanied Admiral Koehler.

The US Pacific Fleet Commander is paying an official visit to Bangladesh from August 4 to 6, said US Embassy acting Spokesperson Mara Bird.

Admiral Koehler met senior Bangladesh officials to discuss the longstanding Bangladesh-US defence partnership and explore opportunities to expand cooperation in maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and professional military education.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday, Admiral Koehler discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation on regional security, said the US Embassy in Dhaka.

A strong Bangladesh-US partnership contributes to a "more stable, secure, and prosperous" region, the US said.

Admiral Koehler met with Defence Adviser AKM Shamsul Islam and Bangladesh Navy Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Khondkar Misbah ul Azim to reaffirm that shared vision.

Recently, Bangladesh and the US Army soldiers concluded exercise "Tiger Lightning 2026" in Bangladesh, marking the completion of a bilateral training event focused on enhancing interoperability, military readiness, and professional relationships between both nations.

Through exercises like "Tiger Lightning", US Army Pacific strengthens the enduring partnerships and advances shared security objectives across the region, said the US side.

Admiral Koehler grew up in a Navy family and is a 1986 graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, where he was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC).

He holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and is a graduate of the Joint Staff College and the Navy Nuclear Power Programme.