US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu has emphasised the government and the opposition “working together peacefully” to ensure the freedom of assembly as Bangladesh moves towards the next national election. “We as Americans, we will condemn violence when we see it – if it is on the part of the opposition, or it is on the part of government security forces. At the same time, we are going to focus on whether there is any intimidation during the election… we will say this publicly,” he told Channel 24 in an interview before wrapping up his visit on Sunday (January 15, 2023). Lu referred to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s commitment to a fair election and said US also wants a free and fair election without “violence and intimidation.” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday conveyed to the United States that they, as a government, want a “free, fair, transparent and credible” election and there should be no doubt about that. Read more: Civil society voices crucial to upholding people’s right to freedom, dignity in every country: US Lu also expressed US’ commitment to upholding democracy and human rights. “We will speak when we see problems and when we can offer suggestions. We will stand up for freedom of speech, freedom of expression. And we look forward to working very closely with our partners here in Bangladesh,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Responding to a question, the US Assistant Secretary told Channel 24 that they did not designate more individuals from the Rab to face individual sanctions. “We did not do that because we recognize the progress being made by the government and by the Rab itself.” Talking to reporters at MoFA, Lu said they had “quite a good discussion” about the Rab. “If you have seen the statement this week by the Human Rights Watch, they recognised and we recognised tremendous progress in the area of reducing extrajudicial killings by the Rab,” he said. On the security of diplomats, Lu said they take the security of Bangladeshi diplomats in the US very seriously. Read more: Lu pledges US administration's continuous support, cooperation for all future efforts “We spend a lot of time making sure that they are safe. We expect the same treatment from Bangladesh,” he said, adding that he was given assurance from every meeting he attended during his Bangladesh visit. The United States has also said civil society voices in every country are crucial to upholding people’s right to freedom and dignity. Assistant Secretary Donald Lu and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas hosted a dinner on Sunday night and listened to the work of human rights advocates in Bangladesh. Lu left Dhaka early Monday (2 am), wrapping up his quick visit with a series of meetings. Read more: Donald Lu: Issues of participatory polls, CHT discussed over lunch at FSA

Visiting US Assistant Secretary, for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Julieta Valls Noyes said that the United States, together with its international partners, will not allow the Rohingyas to become a "forgotten crisis". She made the comment after meeting with the UN agencies which are working on the ground. Noyes thanked all the partners who work tirelessly to improve conditions for and to advance the rights of Rohingyas. read more: Japan will continue to work toward resolution of Rohingya issue: Ambassador US Assistant Secretary Noyes will also meet government officials to express US' gratitude for their generosity in hosting Rohingya and other refugees fleeing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. She is here on a five-day visit to Bangladesh (December 3-7) to highlight the US commitment to supporting the Rohingya refugee response and impacted host communities. Noyes also appreciated the role of the US Embassy in Dhaka. read more: CERF allocates $9 million to Rohingya response in Bangladesh "I’m always impressed and humbled by the hard work performed every day by our U.S. Embassies. US Embassy Dhaka is no exception. Thank you Ambassador Peter Haas and all your team for your diligence, consistency, and unwavering advocacy for those in need," she said.

US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele J. Sison will travel to India, Bangladesh, and Kuwait on August 2-10. Sison will have consultations on a range of U.S. multilateral priorities, including combating food insecurity, advancing global health, addressing human rights and humanitarian needs, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and support for Rohingya refugees.   Her meetings with senior government officials will focus on opportunities to deepen our cooperation at the United Nations, and U.S. support for the candidacy of Doreen Bogdan-Martin to become the next Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, according to the US Department of State.  Read:International solidarity key to achieving DPoA for LDCs: Bangladesh In meetings with civil society leaders, the Assistant Secretary will exchange ideas on how the United States and other countries can collaborate on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Sison was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs on December 21, 2021.  She served as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives (2012-2014), U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon (2008-2010), and U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (2004-2008).