Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Saturday said the results of the US election will not pose any challenge for the relations that the two countries maintain as Prof Muhammad Yunus as a global leader has very good ties with senior leaders of the both parties.  "He (CA Prof Yunus) has friends in both parties. The relationship depends a lot on personal attachment. Prof Yunus is a global leader. So, whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump wins the US election, there will be no challenge for our relationship," Alam said while speaking as the chief at a debate competition in Dhaka. “End impunity for crimes against journalists, protect media workers”: UN Rights Chief The electoral system in the US is called a two-party system. That means that two parties dominate the political field in all three levels of government.  In the US, these two parties are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.  Other parties, often generally termed “third parties”, in the US include The Green Party, Libertarians, Constitution Party and Natural Law Party. The Press Secretary said Donald Trump's statement on minorities in Bangladesh is a completely domestic political issue and lobbyists may have influenced this issue.  Trump, on Thursday, strongly condemned the “barbaric violence” against Hindus, Christians and other minorities who are “getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos.” Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Friday said what Republican Donald Trump, who is running again for the White House, thinks about the events in Bangladesh “does obviously matter”, but stressed that their task in the government is to tell the truth. Trump condemns “attacks on minorities” in Bangladesh “He (Trump) may soon become the leader of the free world. But our task is to tell our truth in the most transparent and compelling way possible,” he said. Alam said Bangladesh's relations with India are good and Bangladesh wants to continue this good relationship with them. "We received support from all over the world in the unprecedented mass uprising that took place in Bangladesh. No evil force can survive when the people wake up," he said.  Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held duelling rallies within miles of each other in swing state Wisconsin’s largest city, Milwaukee, on Friday night.  Milwaukee is home to the most Democratic votes in Wisconsin, but its conservative Republican suburbs are a critical area for Trump as he tries to reclaim the state he narrowly won in 2016 but lost in 2020. The shadow parliament was organised by Debate for Democracy on the impact of the US elections at the FDC in the capital. Debate for Democracy Chairman Hassan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron presided over the event. Kiron said that since Donald Trump mentioned his friendly relations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi just before the US elections, the "fallen" government thinks it will be easy for them to return to Bangladeshi politics.  "If Trump is elected, they can try to rehabilitate themselves in politics by capitalising on Modi's relationship with him. But the students and people of this country will no longer accept the fallen dictatorship accused of genocide in Bangladeshi politics," he said.  A few days before the US election, some are trying to find a mystery about Donald Trump's sudden condemnation of attacks on Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other minorities in Bangladesh, Kiron said. He also said that no matter who wins the US election, their foreign policy does not change much.  State University of Bangladesh emerged victorious in the debate competition against the Green University of Bangladesh.  The judges of the competition were Professor Dr Tajul Islam Chowdhury Tuhin, Professor Dr AKM Mazharul Islam, DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib, DCAB General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu and Journalist Md. Atiqur Rahman. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has written back to US President Joe Biden. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud handed over a copy of the letter to Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South Asia, US National Security Council (NSC), Eileen Laubacher on Sunday. It is a response to the letter sent by the US President to the Bangladesh Prime Minister. Bangladesh Ambassador to USA, Muhammad Imran, will hand over the original copy of the letter to White House. The Foreign Minister has said that they want a new chapter of relations with Bangladesh. “We want to begin a new chapter of relations with them,” he said, adding that the nations will benefit through strengthening the relations. Eileen Laubacher led an inter-agency US delegation during her meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. Read:  PM's daughter Putul thanks Joe Biden for 'warm hospitality'   The USAID’s Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Asia Michael Schiffer, the US Department of States Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Afreen Akhter, and CDA of the US Embassy in Dhaka Helen LaFave were present at the meeting. Besides, Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Muhammad Imran and Director General of Foreign Ministry’s North America Wing Khandker Masudul Alam and other officials from the ministry were present. The discussions centred around exploring new avenues to deepening the existing relationship. Economic cooperation, trade and investment, Rohingya humanitarian response, climate change, and energy were in focus during the meeting. The Foreign Minister reiterated Bangladesh’s steadfast position in favour of peace and against any form of war. He asked for US to use its leverage to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Read: PM Hasina greets new US President Joe Biden Hasan also hoped for the Russia-Ukraine war to end. The extradition of Bangabandhu’s self-confessed killer Rashed Chowdhury from the US was also discussed. He also asked for the withdrawal of the US sanction on RAB. Earlier, US President Joe Biden wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing his willingness to work together to achieve Bangladesh’s economic goals. He also expressed willingness to partnering with Bangladesh on the shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. As the two countries embark on the next chapter of the US-Bangladesh partnership, Biden said he wants to convey the sincere desire of his administration to continue their work together on regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, humanitarian support, especially for Rohingya refugees, and more. Read more: Fakhrul showers praises on Joe Biden, Kamala Harris “We have a long and successful history of working together to solve problems, and our strong people-to-people ties are the foundation of this relationship,” the US President wrote to PM Sheikh Hasina.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today (October 05, 2023) said that he was not wrong when he said “a lot is going on behind the scenes.” He said this while exchanging views with journalists at the conference room of the Road Transport and Highways Department, at the Secretariat. Also read: No worries over visa policy, PM reached understanding with all: Quader Regarding his earlier remark that there has been some “agreement or consensus”, Quader said, “The issue of rumours and propaganda in our country has become rampant. According to rumours, the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States has deteriorated. Such rumours and misinformation have spread widely. This is not desirable at this time.” “Don’t you understand what I said? No one was aware for a week about the meeting with the US security adviser. So, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, and I wasn’t wrong,” Quader added. Also read: Hasina and Biden have discussed importance of free, fair elections in Bangladesh as well as improving relations During her recent visit to Washington DC, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a meeting with US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her daughter took a selfie with Joe Biden. That was being discussed. There was still some talk. Reaching consensus behind the scenes means improving relations. That’s what I meant,” the AL leader clarified. When pointed out that many are taking the “behind the scenes” expression negatively, he said, “If anyone wants to take it negatively, it is up to them. At public rallies, people want excitement… which is why exciting words like “toley toley”, “khela hobe” are used.” Also read: Bangladesh not safe in BNP's hands: Quader Responding to a question on relationship with China, Quader said, “China has a role to play in our development activities. We can’t bypass that. We are taking their help.”

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has ruled out any tension in Bangladesh-US relations following the State Department’s announcement of initiating visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals. “We have no tension with the US,” he told reporters in Manhattan on Saturday (September 23, 2023), noting that the US will not grant visas to those who will try to foil the upcoming election in Bangladesh. Also read: Bangladesh fully committed to nuclear disarmament: Momen The foreign minister said that US President Joe Biden wants to strengthen the existing friendly relations with Bangladesh in the next 50 years. “I am confident our partnership will continue to flourish for the next 50 years and beyond,” Biden wrote in a letter sent to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina marking the 50-year milestone in the bilateral relationship between the US and Bangladesh. Also read: Bangladesh among more than 30 countries approved to trade in rouble: Russian Embassy US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya said the visa policy announcement affirms the United States’ commitment to “free, fair and peaceful” elections worldwide and supports efforts of partners in the Government of Bangladesh, civil society, and media to ensure democratic elections that reflect the will of Bangladeshis. Earlier, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said that Bangladesh has nothing to lose and they are not worried about the visa restrictions issue, as they are doing nothing wrong. Also read: Visa restrictions: US didn’t issue any statement regarding anyone in particular, says Home Minister Talking to reporters at his residence on Friday night, the state minister also said there is no reason to see further sanctions from the US before the next election as the government has received assurance from the US. The United States has said it will not release the names or numbers of people in Bangladesh who would face visa restrictions. Also read: 'Nothing to lose' from visa restrictions: Shahriar Alam “Visa records are confidential under US law,” Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB on Friday. But, he said, the US government has looked very closely at incidents since they announced the visa policy. “After a careful review of the evidence, we have imposed visa restrictions on members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition,” Schiller added.

The United States has said it engages directly with Bangladeshi officials to discuss "shared priorities" for the two countries. Talking to reporters during a regular briefing at the US State Department on July 18, its Spokesperson Matthew Miller said US Under Secretary Uzra Zeya emphasized in her trip the importance of the United States and Bangladesh working together to achieve Bangladesh’s goal of "free and fair elections" as well as the crucial role of civil society, human rights defenders, journalists, and labor activists, and accountability for human rights abuses.  "These are important issues in our bilateral relationship," he said, adding that senior officials from the United States regularly travel to Bangladesh. This type of political violence has no place in democratic elections: US State Dept on Hero Alam assault  Miller said the US Under Secretary also emphasized the importance of continuing to support the Rohingya refugees.  She visited Rohingya refugees as well as humanitarian partners and Bangladesh senior government officials in Cox’s Bazar and announced $74 million in additional humanitarian assistance to support Myanmar and Bangladesh response efforts.  US State Department ‘deeply concerned over use of Digital Security Act’ "I will just say finally that the United States is dedicated to partnering with the government and civil society to address the scourge of human trafficking in the region," Miller said. US Under Secretary Uzra Zeya announces $1m State Dept grant for child victims of trafficking

US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, is likely to visit Bangladesh next month to discuss issues of mutual interest. She leads global diplomatic efforts to strengthen democracy, advance universal human rights, support refugees and humanitarian relief, promote rule of law and counternarcotics cooperation, fight corruption and intolerance, prevent armed conflict, and eliminate human trafficking. UN USG Lacroix commends Bangladesh’s proactive role to increase number of women peacekeepers Nothing has been finalised yet, and there is no official announcement from either side regarding the visit. For security reasons, the US Embassy in Dhaka does not usually discuss movements of high-level officials, but a formal announcement will come from the US State Department once things are finalised, a diplomatic source told UNB. Dhaka witnessed a series of visits from Washington in the recent past, including a visit by Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, in March 19-23, 2022. Rohingya repatriation: Bangladesh determined for a ‘small trial’, says Shahriar Alam Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu also visited Bangladesh earlier this year. Lu has been heavily involved in setting Washington's Bangladesh policy in the recent past. After the new visa policy was officially announced by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 25, Lu appeared as the public face of the move, making appearances in Bangladeshi media to explain how it would be implemented. UN officials praise Bangladeshi peacekeepers during meeting with PM Hasina

The United States has indicated their new Bangladesh-specific visa policy will help Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government in its efforts to hold free and fair elections. "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government have committed to supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh. This policy is designed to support these efforts and the Bangladeshi people, so they may hold elections to choose their leaders," said the US Embassy in Dhaka, in a message to journalists just after the new policy was announced. The United States said they support free and fair elections everywhere. Also read: New US visa policy declared targeting next Bangladesh polls The message also contained a set of FAQs with responses, through which it clarified certain points that may likely arise in people's minds. To start with, the US Embassy said this policy applies to any individual responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh. This includes current or former Bangladeshi officials, government supporters, and opposition members, among others. This would also include the immediate family members of such persons. The United States said they are committed to building a strong partnership with the government of Bangladesh grounded in democracy and human rights. "We welcome the Prime Minister’s expressed commitment to holding free and fair elections," said the US Embassy. Also read: US govt’s new visa policy does not bother Bangladesh government: Shahriar Alam The United States emphasised it does not support any particular political party, and that their handling of this policy would not favour anyone over another - except on the grounds of undermining electoral democracy. "Restrictions under this new policy target individuals engaging in behavior that undermines the democratic election process, regardless of affiliation." It also assured that it is a general practice to notify individuals whose visas are revoked or cancelled. Given US' "close cooperation" with the government of Bangladesh, the US informed it of this policy decision on May 3. Read more: New visa policy to be implemented fairly on govt & oppn: Donald Lu

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today (January 10, 2023) said Bangladesh is maintaining good relations with both global powers USA and China through its balanced foreign policy, though it is a “challenging” task. “That is a challenging thing. They (US, China) might have their own problems. That is their headache, not ours. We want to maintain good relations with both,” he said. Momen made the remarks when a reporter wanted to know how the Bangladesh government is maintaining relations with the United States and China. The foreign minister referred to the historic quote of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, “Friendship to all, malice towards none”, which has recently been incorporated in a UN General Assembly resolution. “We believe in this policy,” Momen said. Also read: China will remain engaged in Bangladesh’s next stage of development journey: Momen Momen received the newly appointed Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang during the latter’s brief stopover at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early today while US Senior Director for South Asia, National Security Council, Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, wrapped up her four-day visit to Bangladesh. On the other hand, a delegation of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), led by Vice Minister Chen Zhou, is currently visiting Bangladesh to have interactions with Bangladesh leadership. The CPC delegation is scheduled to leave Dhaka on January 11 while Donald Lu, who became Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on September 15, 2021, is likely to begin his Bangladesh visit on January 15. Asked whether Bangladesh-US discussed the election issue during US official Laubacher’s visit, Momen said the next national election will be held after one year, and over the last 14 years, elections were held in a free, fair manner. “Our country is a democratic country.” Also read: Bangladesh reassures Chinese FM of one-China policy, seeks better trade relations He said the overall election environment can be improved through joint efforts domestically with the participation of people and all parties. Momen said it would be unfortunate if anyone violence occurs during elections and it cannot be stopped by “recommendations from the outside. We have to do this.” The foreign minister said the government wants to ensure a free, fair and acceptable election and that is why there is an independent Election Commission. Momen said considering the remarkable development over the last 14 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, people will re-elect Awami League for their better future. Read More: New Chinese foreign minister makes brief stopover at Dhaka airport “We believe in people. People will vote for Awami League if there is a fair election. Awami League is a democratic party. We never came to power through the backdoor,” said the foreign minister, adding that, “Our intention is good. We have a good track record.”

US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Afreen Akhter has said the United States sees Bangladesh as a “truly important strategic partner" and looks forward to working over the next 50 years for a stronger relationship. She said in the last 50 years Bangladesh-US relations have seen incredible progress between the peoples, economies and governments. The people-to-people ties between the two countries are very deep, she said. Praising Bangladesh's progress in different sectors, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary said Bangladesh's economy has expanded from largely agriculture society to economic powerhouse over the just few decades. This is a story to really be proud of that Bangladesh has lifted millions of people out of poverty and the country will achieve the middle-income status within generations, which is truly remarkable, she said while speaking at a Victory Day function in Washington. Also read: Working closely with civil society for fair elections: Visiting US official Beyond the economic cooperation, Afreen mentioned the close partnership between the two countries in providing COVID-19 vaccines and addressing climate change issue. She thanked the Bangladesh government for hosting some 1,1 million Rohingya from Myanmar. The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC celebrated the 52nd Victory Day of Bangladesh, remembering the valiant freedom fighters who fought and made the supreme sacrifice for the cause of long-aspired independence. To commemorate the day, the Embassy arranged a daylong program. The day's first part of the programme began with the hoisting of the national flag ceremonially on the chancery premises in the morning by Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Muhammad Imran. Officials and employees of the embassy were present at that time. Later, the Ambassador along with officials and employees of the embassy placed a wreath at the bust of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Corner of the embassy.   The messages issued on the occasion of the Victory Day by President Md. Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam were read out by Deputy Chief of Mission Ferdousi Shahriar, Minister (Commerce) Md. Salim Reza, Counsellor (Public Diplomacy) Arifa Rahman Ruma and Counsellor (Political-I) Mohammad Moniruzzman. A special prayer was held seeking peace, progress and development of the nation as well as eternal peace of the departed soul of martyrs of the Liberation War and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was offered. A discussion was held later. Ambassador Imran recalled with profound respect the greatest Bengali of all time and the founding Father of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He also paid deep homage to three million martyrs for their supreme sacrifices and two 2 lakh women who sacrificed in 1971. The day’s other program ended with a colourful cultural function. The artistes of Dhroopodi, a Bangladeshi-American cultural organisation, performed group dances on patriotic songs. Counsellor Shameema Yasmin Smrite and First Secretary Md Ataur Rahman conducted the day’s programme. The embassy also arranged a photo exhibition on the day.  

Outgoing US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller has said the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States is "strong and will grow stronger". "As Senator Edward Kennedy said at Dhaka University in 1972, the real foreign policy of America is citizen to citizen, friend to friend, people to people. I hope I contributed in some small way to strengthening our friend-to-friend bonds," he said in his pre-departure message on Friday evening.