Newly inaugurated Congressional Bangladesh Caucus will promote “continued good relations” between Bangladesh and the United States. “We look forward to strengthening the United States-Bangladesh relationship on the basis of our shared democratic values to address major issues, including climate change, human rights, and humanitarian challenges,” said Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina in the House of Representatives who joined with his colleagues - Congressmen Gerry Connolly, Dwight Evans and Steve Chabot as a co-chair of the Congressional Bangladesh Caucus. Caucus Members will receive periodic updates on bilateral relationship, joint efforts to combat terrorism and promote human rights, as well as opportunities for high-level visits between the two countries, including with Ambassador M Shahidul Islam as they work to “strengthen” their relationship. Wilson, joining with his colleagues on August 16, said the people of Bangladesh are well represented by Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Shahidul Islam. The Caucus was established, in part, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and the United States, which began in 1972, soon after Bangladesh secured its independence from Pakistan. “The United States has been a longstanding partner in Bangladesh's journey to economic development and democratic institution building since that time,” Wilson said. Read:Election period in Bangladesh to be important time to maximise civic, political space: Bachelet During the last 50 years, Bangladesh has made significant socio-economic progress, including increased food production, disaster management capacity building, poverty alleviation, improved health and education, and women's empowerment, he mentioned. For more than a decade, Wilson said, Bangladesh has remained one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and its economic growth is not only benefiting its own people, but is also contributing to the peace, progress, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific Region. Significantly, no other country in the world commits more forces to United Nations Peacekeeping, he said. Bangladesh has a per capita income higher than its neighbors in South Asia and the United States is one of Bangladesh's most important trading partners, with approximately 19-20 percent of its exports destined for the United States, Wilson said. Also, bilateral trade between the United States and Bangladesh was over $10 billion (U.S.) in 2021. According to the United States Census Bureau, there are over 200,000 people of Bangladeshi origin living in America. Promoting educational exchanges between Bangladesh and the United States benefits both nations, and with approximately 10,000 students from Bangladesh studying in the United States, the country places eighth in the World in this category, Wilson said.

US President Joe Biden has expressed his optimism that Dhaka-Washington partnership would flourish in the next 50 years and beyond. In a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said Bangladeshis and Americans alike share the ideals of democracy, equality, and respect for human rights; and these elements are the foundation for healthy, secure, and prosperous societies. Read:Ties between Bangladeshis, Americans deeper, more intertwined: Secretary Blinken “I am confident our partnership will continue to flourish for the next 50 years and beyond,” he said in the letter marking 50-year milestone in the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and the US. The US president said the drive, resourcefulness, and innovation of Bangladeshis - rebuilding after the 1971 War of Liberation and now forging a path of economic growth and development – serve as a model for rest of the world. “We are proud of our partnership on development, economic growth and counterterrorism,” Biden said, adding that the two countries work together to address the climate crisis, help the Rohingya survivors of genocide and support UN peace keeping worldwide. He mentioned the two nations are connected through familial, academic and commercial ties since 1958, when Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman participated in a 30-day exchange programme in the US. Read:Bangladesh-US security dialogue in Washington Wednesday “Our defense cooperation is stronger than ever,” the US president said, adding that the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy are invaluable partners in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region, contributing to the regional effort to end the trafficking of people and illicit drugs. Biden said the US and Bangladesh together met the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic while Washington has donated more than 61 million vaccine doses and provided over 131 million US dollars in assistance to Dhaka.

Bangladesh has recently appointed a US firm for a year to work to further deepen Dhaka’s relations with Washington, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam confirmed on Thursday. “This is just to confirm that we’ve recently appointed Nelson Mullins to maintain government to government relations. It’s a GR (government relations) firm,” he told reporters at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. Shahriar hoped that the relations between Bangladesh and the USA will be deepened and strengthened through the appointment of the GR firm in a very transparent manner. He said the firm has been hired at a monthly pay of US$ 20,000 for its services. The move comes after the recent US sanctions against Bangladesh’s elite law enforcement force Rapid Action Battalion and seven of its current and former officials. Also read: Govt hired lobbyists to protect HR offenders: BNP Shahriar said this is a public document and anybody can have access to it for further details. While talking to a small group of reporters at his office on February 22, the state minister said they had talked to three firms and indicated to come to a decision within a week. He also made it clear that they have enough capacity to tackle the matter - either on legal front or diplomatic front – and said the government of Bangladesh does not want to involve a third country in this process. He said that Bangladesh and the United States would see more engagements through a number of bilateral platforms including ‘Partnership Dialogue’ in the coming months. Earlier, Bangladesh conveyed its ‘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. Also read: Appointed PR firm, not lobbyist, to change wrong perception: FM Bangladesh says the decision was taken ‘unilaterally’ by the US Administration without any prior consultation with the government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh also underscored the need for pursuing the pathway of dialogue, engagement and collaboration.

The US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller, in an interview with UNB, has expressed his confidence that Dhaka-Washington ties would grow stronger. The election of Joe Biden has created such an opportunity. He told UNB, relations between the two countries will only get stronger with no major changes under the new Biden administration.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday hoped that the relations between Bangladesh and the United States would reach a new height under President Joe Biden.