Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun during his visit to Dhaka met with senior Bangladesh government officials “to advance the United States-Bangladesh partnership on a range of bilateral initiatives”, the state department said.
In his meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen, and other senior Bangladeshi officials, he discussed the United States’ “steadfast support for Bangladesh and our partnership to foster long-term economic stability and sustainable development”.
The State Department issued the statement after his departure on Friday ending three-day visit.
The Deputy Secretary highlighted US-Bangladesh cooperation in public health and combatting COVID-19 and announced the upcoming delivery of 100 American-made manufactured ventilators.
He delivered two gas analyzers to Minister of Health and Family Welfare Zahid Maleque and State Minister of Information and Communication Technology Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak to expand the government of Bangladesh’s capacity to certify and re-check the effectiveness of all ventilators in the country.
“Throughout his visit, Deputy Secretary Biegun emphasised our common vision of a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and secure Indo-Pacific region, with shared prosperity for all,” said the official spokesperson of the state department.
The Deputy Secretary thanked the people and the government of Bangladesh for their continued generosity in hosting more than 860,000 Rohingya and discussed the need for a global response to achieve a more permanent solution.
Biegun and Foreign Minister Momen jointly announced the establishment of a new Government of Bangladesh consulate in Miami, Florida.
The new consulate, Bangladesh’s third in the United States, exemplifies the expanding partnership, including growing commercial and people-to-people ties, between our two nations, read the statement.