US delegation's visit: Regional security stressed in new chapter of relations

Alongside strengthening relations between Dhaka and Washington, a special emphasis has been given on geopolitics in the context of regional security during the high level visit of the US delegation.

This has been learnt from those who attended meetings with the US delegation at the government and the private level.

Those who participated the meetings said although the US has a different position over the national election, the powerful country wants to advance relations with Bangladesh. Both the countries want to begin a new chapter of relations.

The special assistant to the US president and senior director for South Asia at the US National Security Council, Eileen Laubacher has led the delegation.

The US delegation has visited Bangladesh at a time when the Myanmar conflict has created a threat to regional stability.

The National Security Council (NCC) under the US president's headquarters White House mainly works on security from an international perspective.

However, the government representatives and diplomats have been considering the US high-level visit as 'the post-election understanding'. They are also assessing this visit from the political perspective. 

After attending a meeting with foreign minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday, speaking to newsmen, Eileen Laubacher said it is a matter of delight to talk on priority issues between two countries during the visit to Bangladesh.

"We have discussed how we will assist each other in future. The US gives importance to relations with Bangladesh," the US official added.

According to the diplomats and security analysts, the US is not focusing on their different views on the election, rather they are considering the relations with Bangladesh from a broader perspective. During their meetings with various groups including the government representatives, they have made it clear that the involvement of various quarters is essential to advance relations between Dhaka and Washington. 

Afreen Akhter, a deputy assistant secretary in the US Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, held a meeting with Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday. On the same day, she and assistant administrator at USAID Bureau for Asia, Michael Schiffer held a meeting with the representatives of labourers.

These two US senior officials held a meeting with the representatives of civil society on Sunday morning. After holding a meeting with environment, forest and climate change minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, they held a meeting with foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen at the state guest house Padma.

Later, the US delegation led by the special assistant to the US president and senior director for South Asia at the US National Security Council, Eileen Laubacher, made a courtesy call on foreign minister Hasan Mahmud. Afterwards, the US delegation attended a seminar on business reform at the EMK centre in the capital.

The delegation also held a views-exchange meeting with Salman F Rahman, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Private Industry and Investment.

Afterwards, speaking to newsmen, Salman F Rahman said, "We have discussed how relations between two countries can be deepened in the days to come."

He also said the election is now a past event and they have not talked about that.

Citing that the US delegation has expressed concern on the Myanmar situation, Salman F Rahman said they are keeping an eye on the current Myanmar situation. "They have also asked us to keep an eye on Myanmar." 

Diplomatic sources said foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, prime minister's advisor for private industry and investment Salman F Rahman and foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen raised the issue of US president Joe Biden’s letter to prime minister Sheikh Hasina during the meeting with the US delegation last Sunday, and Bangladesh said they have taken the letter as an indication to strengthen bilateral ties overcoming the discomfort of both side on the election.

Sources further said issues on several measures taken by the US and several statements in Bangladesh’s political arena before the 12th parliamentary elections, as well as statements of Washington after the election came up during the government-level talks with the visiting US delegation. In particular, issues related to sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion, new visa policy for Bangladeshi citizens to ensure a free and fair election, and statements of Bangladesh, as well as statements of various briefings of the US also came up.

The visit of this US delegation after Joe Biden’s letter to prime minister Sheikh Hasina will play a positive role in boosting the bilateral relations. Bangladesh hoped the US would take various steps in the coming days, and that includes lifting sanctions on RAB and reconsidering the visa policy.

Former Bangladesh ambassador to the US and Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) president Humayun Kabir told Prothom Alo that Bangladesh is giving more importance to the visit of this US delegation from a political perspective, but the US sees the relation with Bangladesh from a broader perspective. They see the bilateral relations from geopolitical and regional security perspectives including economic development, investment, climate change and Indo-Pacific strategy despite having different opinions on elections, and the White House is giving this message to Dhaka by sending the special assistant to US president Joe Biden.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu expressed concerns over the Myanmar situation during a discussion recently. He apparently gave a message that Bangladesh and India should stay alert on the Myanmar situation and the US is keeping an eye on China and the Rakhine state.

The visiting US delegation also discussed the Myanmar situation during the meeting with the representatives of the government, the BNP and the civil society.

Diplomatic sources said the issue of 600 members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police entering India and 330 members to Bangladesh also came up during the talks with representatives of the government. These incidents raised security concerns in Bangladesh and India. Infiltration of separatists in the hill areas poses a risk to regional instability.

According to a section of Bangladeshi diplomats, the stance of various US administrations on the 12th parliamentary elections is not the same. The US State Department keeps pressure on values including good governance and human rights while the White House holds a different view. These diplomats observe the White House think friendly countries like Bangladesh should not be made angry to prevent the growing influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Security analyst and research organisation Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) president Major General ANM Muniruzzaman (retd) told Prothom Alo that the US is also trying to reevaluate the disagreements that they had with Bangladesh on elections, and this visit is a part of it.

However, when a senior official of the US National Security Council is leading this delegation, then the security issues get special importance. In particular, the US is keeping a close watch on this region due to the fast-changing situation in Myanmar, and it is very important for the US to understand the issue with Bangladesh and India, who are the neighbours of Myanmar, he added.