US Ambassador
US Ambassador visits residence of the coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’ in city
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Wednesday visited the residence of Sanjida Islam, coordinator of Mayer Dak, an organization of the relatives of the victims of enforced disappearance, at Shaheenbagh in the city.
The US envoy went there around 9 am and stayed there for about 30 minutes, Sanjida told UNB.
Read more: US ambassador didn’t go to the memorial on Martyred Intellectuals’ Day, he went somewhere else: Quader
He discussed several issues including enforced disappearance and killings, she said.
Sanjida is sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, a victim of enforced disappearance in 2013.
“When Peter Haas was leaving my residence I heard chaos in front the gate. Later I heard that a group came there and created chaos while he was getting into his vehicle,” she said.
Read more: Those wanting to travel to US as visitor or student should apply as early as possible: Embassy
Commenting briefly on the incident a US embassy spokesperson said, “We are raising this matter at the highest levels of Bangladesh government.”
US ambassador didn’t go to the memorial on Martyred Intellectuals’ Day, he went somewhere else: Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said that Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s “plan to persuade the United States and the United Kingdom governments” to put sanctions on the Bangladesh government and its institutions has failed.
Quader said this while addressing a discussion arranged by Bangladesh Awami League at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), marking Martyred Intellectuals Day today.
Read more: Defeated forces resurrected to avenge: Obaidul Quader
“The Washington mission of BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has failed. After trying their best, no one from Bangladesh was on the list of individuals and entities sanctioned by the US. Still, BNP appointed lobbyists thinking that we don’t know where the money comes from. Sacks full of money coming from Dubai…we know the story,” Quader said.
Quader, also General Secretary of the ruling Awami League, came down heavily on Toby Cadman, a British lawyer who was appointed by Jamaat as a legal adviser.
“Toby Cadman told Al Jazeera that he was part of the team that asked the US and UK governments for sanctions against Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (Rab). The US sanction on Rab was a result of this lobbying,” Quader said.
Speaking on enforced disappearances, Quader referred to US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, asking him about the human rights situation in his own country.
Read more: Quader urges BNP not to create chaos on December 24
“Instead of going to the Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial, Haas went to meet Mayer Daak founders on Martyred Intellectuals Day. I want to ask him — how many people disappear in your country every month? Don’t bother, we already have the stats from CNN,” said Quader.
Quader further said that before commenting on the human rights situation in Bangladesh, Peter Haas must know the actual history of disappearances and killings.
“In the past, BNP leaders had said that intellectual Farhad Mazhar had disappeared. Later we found him on a Khulna-bound bus. I also want to mention Salahuddin. At first, everyone was saying that he had disappeared. But later we learned that he went to India willingly to evade the cases pending against him. Peter Haas must know of these instances, along with the killings and enforced disappearances that happened during the regime of Ziaur Rahman,” said Quader.
US keen to work with Bangladesh, other partners to ensure an open Indo-Pacific
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Monday said they seek to work with Bangladesh and other partners to build an Indo-Pacific that is free and open.
"We want a region that is free and open, interconnected, prosperous, secure, and resilient. We share this vision with many other nations," he said, sharing the five elements of the Indo-Pacific that the US shares with many other nations.
The US ambassador was speaking at a panel discussion “Untangling the Myriad of Multilateral Frameworks in the Indo-Pacific” at a programme titled “Bay of Bengal Conversation” held at a hotel in Dhaka.
Read more: US to be bold in promoting its vision of a free, secure, and prosperous world: Haas
He said they do not ask any nation to choose between the United States and any other partner.
"As we manage shifting geopolitical trends, the United States will conduct itself as a reasonable leader. We do not seek conflict. We do not seek a Cold War," Haas said.
The ambassador said the United States will be unabashed in promoting their vision of a free, open, secure, and prosperous world.
The window of opportunity to deal with shared threats is closing fast, said the ambassador.
He said the United States and 13 partner countries launched negotiations for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF, what he described as a “novel economic arrangement” that reflects their collective desire to address 21st century challenges that go beyond trade and investment.
The membership of IPEF reflects the economic diversity of the region as well as the interconnectivity among partner countries that drives economic growth, job creation, and innovation, he said.
IPEF is intended to be open and inclusive to others who wish to join in the future if they share the goals of IPEF and work to achieve those goals.
“We will continue to work on these issues and grow our economic partnership bilaterally with all nations, including Bangladesh,” said the envoy.
Read more: Excited to see more Bangladeshi students are choosing US: Peter Haas
“Let us work together to strengthen the foundations of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and around the world,” he added.
The inaugural session was addressed by former President of Serbia Boris Tadic, CGS Chairman Dr Manjur A Chowdhury and CGS Executive Director Zillur Rahman.
Many people over-exaggerating impact of sanctions: US ambassador
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas thinks that many people are “over-exaggerating” the impact of the sanctions imposed on the elite force Rab and some officials but acknowledges that it did have an impact on the overall relations.
“Yes, the sanctions did have an impact. I think many people are over-exaggerating the impact because the relationship we have is so broad and we deal with so many issues,” he told Voice of America Bangla Service in an interview at the US Department of State.
He said the sanctions is one issue but they continue to work very closely under the security front.
Ambassador Haas said the US stopped providing training to the Rab in 2018 because of concerns as they want to see accountability for the past human rights violations and to reform the Rab so that it does not repeat the same.
On December 10, 2021, Human Rights Day, the United States imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion and some of its serving as well as former officials, based on what the US said was "credible evidence" of serious human rights abuses.
The US envoy said over the past few months the two countries had partnership dialogue, security dialogue, military partnership and high level economic dialogue. “We are cooperating deeply and aggressively on those fronts.”
The US ambassador reiterated the importance of free media and the challenges in Bangladesh.
He said the government-to-government relationship is important but businesses, education and family ties are far more important.
This year, 2022, Bangladesh and the United States are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken kicked off a busy program of engagements for the year ahead by marking the milestone during their meeting on April 4 in Washington, DC.
Also read: Will be happy if sanctions on Rab withdrawn: FM
Haas reiterates: US has no favourite in B'desh political arena
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has reiterated that the United States has no preference for any particular party or platform in Bangladesh's political arena, but rather wants to see an “open and competitive process” play out ahead of the next national election.
“I want to be very clear that the US has no preference. We have no vote. We don’t favour any particular party, platform or anything else that is not our role,” he said during the inaugural episode of “AmTalk,” an initiative premiered on the verified Facebook page of the US Embassy Friday evening.
Ambassador Haas said they would like to see the same thing that the people of Bangladesh would like to see - an election run at an international standard that allows the people of Bangladesh to choose their next leaders in an “open and competitive” process, free of violence.
The US envoy said he very much welcomes some of the signals and signs that he is receiving in terms of having a transparent election.
Read: PM Hasina sends mangoes to Indian President, PM as gift
He referred foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and said he (Momen) has made it clear that Bangladesh will welcome international observers. “I think that’s critical…..”
Ambassador Haas laid emphasis on advancing the relations between Bangladesh and the United States taking advantage of the opportunities and addressing the challenges through joint efforts.
IPS a positive vision for all, not military alliance: US envoy
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas Thursday said the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) is a positive, shared vision for creating a region where all nations can thrive – Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the US, and each and every other county in the region.
"The Indo-Pacific Strategy is not a military alliance. Nor does it seek to become one," he said, adding that the IPS is not about a contest between a US-centric region and a China-centric region. "Indeed, we view the Indo-Pacific as its own region."
Read: US engagement in Indo-Pacific not against any country: Miller
While addressing the international conference on "Moving Forward in the Indo-Pacific: Bangladesh's Role in Fostering an Open, Resilient, and Interconnected Bay of Bengal and Beyond" the US envoy said the IPS is not designed to make anyone choose between countries.
One of the key tenets of the strategy is that every country should be able to choose its own path, free from pressure or coercion, he said.
The US Embassy in Dhaka and the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) jointly organised the conference at the university auditorium.
The US ambassador said they will seek "closer security cooperation" with partners to tackle challenges – violent extremism, illegal fishing and human trafficking where Bangladesh has made incredible strides.
"The United States is proud to partner with Bangladesh on these challenges and more," he said.
Ambassador Haas said they are developing a comprehensive Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which will include shared objectives in key areas – climate and clean energy, fair trade facilitation, resilient supply chains, and the digital economy.
"I look forward to working on these issues with the people and the government of Bangladesh in the coming months," he said, adding that they will bolster Indo-Pacific security.
Ambassador Haas announces $152 mn assistance after Cox’s Bazar visit
Following his first visit to Cox’s Bazar, U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has announced the United States is providing $152 million in new humanitarian assistance for nearly one million Rohingya refugees and Bangladesh host communities.
“This brings the total we’ve provided since August 2017 to $1.7 billion,” said Ambassador Haas.
“Of this new funding, $125 million is for programs inside Bangladesh — for Rohingya refugees and affected Bangladeshi communities.”
Haas visited Cox’s Bazar from March 27-29 to meet with local government officials and see how U.S. programs continue to assist Rohingya refugees and host communities by providing healthcare, training to fight fires in the camps, protecting the environment, strengthening climate disaster resilience, and providing secure food distribution.
Read: PM calls for rebuilding a resilient Bay of Bengal region for common benefits
“I am heartened by the strong collaborative relationship with humanitarian agencies working in the camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar,” he said.
The ambassador’s trip was the first visit since U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on March 21 he had determined that members of the Myanmar military had committed genocide and crimes against humanity against the Rohingya.
While in Cox’s Bazar, Ambassador Haas visited Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC) Commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat and Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md. Mamunur Rashid.
New US Ambassador Peter Haas arrives in Dhaka
Peter Haas, newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh, arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Ambassador Haas replaced Earl R Miller.
Read:Bangladesh to enjoy DFQF market access to Australia in post-LDC period
He most recently served as U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.
He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Trade Policy and Negotiations.
Ambassador Haas also served as Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Permanent Representative at the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. Consul General in Mumbai, India, and Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. Other diplomatic postings include London, Rabat, Washington, Port-au-Prince, and Berlin.
Read:Crimes against Rohingyas: ICC Prosecutor seeks joint efforts to deliver justice
Haas holds a BA in International Studies and German from Illinois Wesleyan University.
He attended the London School of Economics as a Marshall Scholar, where he earned MSc (Econ) degrees in both the Politics of the World Economy and Comparative Government.
Miller summoned; Dhaka’s discontent over Washington’s unilateral decision conveyed
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller was summoned by Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Saturday to convey Dhaka’s “discontent” over the designated sanctions imposed by the US Departments of Treasury and of State on some of the present and former officials of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Foreign Secretary Momen expressed Bangladesh’s disappointment that the decision was taken "unilaterally" by the US administration without any prior consultation with the government of Bangladesh.
He flagged that the issues that were cited for imposing the designated sanctions remained under active discussions, including under the framework of the regular institutional dialogues between the two sides, and yet the US decision came without any prior intimation.
The Foreign Secretary regretted that the US decided to undermine an agency of the government that had been on the forefront of combating terrorism, drug trafficking and other heinous transnational crimes that were considered to be shared priorities with successive US administrations.
The Foreign Secretary regretted that the allegations made against RAB over certain specific incidents had been explained, along with information on the corresponding justice and accountability measures undertaken, to not just to the US administration but also to a number of UN human rights mechanisms on multiple occasions.
READ: US imposes sanctions on RAB, 7 individuals
Masud Momen stated that the US decision appeared to have been based more on unverified or unsubstantiated allegations of command responsibility than on the facts involved in connection with certain specific incidents that had taken place at the local level.
The Foreign Secretary said the decision targeting the Bangladesh officials was made in tandem with those concerning certain countries that stand alleged to have committed serious international crimes, i.e. 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing’, by the UN and other concerned international bodies.
He emphasized that the government of Bangladesh remained committed to upholding the rule of law and human rights, and maintained a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to any wrongdoings or aberrations by its law enforcement agencies.
Foreign Secretary Momen stressed that all uniformed services in Bangladesh followed a set of legal and administrative procedures to address any allegation of wrongdoing against any of their members, and that RAB was no exception in this regard.
READ: US engagement in Indo-Pacific not against any country: Miller
Foreign Secretary Momen underscored the need for pursuing the pathway of dialogue, engagement and collaboration, instead of resorting to ‘naming and shaming’ that has proven to be a self-defeating exercise.
He highlighted that the observance of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two friendly countries next year should open up further avenues to enhance the breadth and dimensions of the existing partnership.
Ambassador Miller took note of the concerns raised by the Government of Bangladesh, and assured of conveying the same to his Capital, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He concurred that the excellent multifaceted relations between two countries could be further deepened through established consultation mechanisms and high level visits.
Ambassador Miller also expressed the US government’s willingness to remain closely engaged with the government of Bangladesh in the coming days on the issues of mutual interest.
The United States on Friday imposed human rights-related sanctions on Benzir Ahmed, current Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police and former Director General of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and six other individuals on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.
The US Department of State announced visa restrictions on Benazir Ahmed, which it says, due to his “involvement in gross violations of human rights” making him ineligible for entry into the United States.
RAB as an entity, Benzir Ahmed, and six other officials were designated by the Department of the Treasury under the Global Magnitsky sanctions programme in connection with serious human rights abuse, said the US Department of State.
US-funded cultural preservation project on SM Sultan’s artworks opened
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller and Director General of Bangla Academy Mohammad Nurul Huda on Tuesday inaugurated the US-funded cultural preservation project on SM Sultan’s artworks at Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi.
The 3-year initiative, funded through the U.S. government’s prestigious Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), supports study, analysis, and restoration of the largest collection of paintings by one of Bangladesh’s most celebrated artists and will train young Bangladeshi conservation professionals on sustainable conservation techniques, methodologies, and restoration models.
Ambassador Miller presented a ceremonial plaque to the Bengal Foundation’s Director General Luva Nahid Chowdhury to formally inaugurate the project and toured the SM Sultan exhibition at the gallery.