US foreign minister phones his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Momen

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has talked to his Bangladesh counterpart foreign minister AK Abdul Momen.

The foreign ministry officials said Antony Blinken made the call on Wednesday evening.

Two foreign ministers discussed on advancing relations between Bangladesh and the US.

Abdul Momen was at Bangabhaban when Antony Blinken made the phone call. Momen received the call at the Bangabhaban where he went to join a banquet arranged in honour of Indian president Ram Nath Kovind.

Diplomatic sources said the US secretary of state greeted Bangladesh through the foreign minister on the occasion of birth centenary of Bangabandhu and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh independence.

Two foreign ministers expressed a consensus to strengthen bilateral relations further maintaining existing good relations for the last five decades.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, a senior official at the foreign ministry said it was informed on behalf of the US on Wednesday that Antony Blinken wanted to talk to the Bangladesh foreign minister.

On the International Human Rights Day on 10 December, the United States of America imposed sanctions on seven former and current officials of Bangladesh’s elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) for human rights abuse.

Among the persons sanctioned are inspector general of police and former director general of RAB Benazir Ahmed. He was RAB’s DG from January 2015 to 14 April, 2020.