<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Canada’s Deputy Minister of International Development Christopher MacLennan arrived in Dhaka on Saturday evening on a two-day visit.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Deputy Minister will meet with officials and development partners to discuss Canada’s evolving international assistance in the context of Bangladesh’s graduation from Least Developed Country status in 2026.</div><div><br></div><div>He will discuss opportunities to leverage Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>The Deputy Minister will also have discussions about the ongoing response to the Rohingya refugee crisis and the situation at the border.</div><div><br></div><div>Australia, Canada, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States have reiterated their call on all States to prevent or to cease the flow of arms or military and dual-use material, including aviation fuel to the Myanmar military.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are deeply concerned by the escalating conflict in Myanmar and in particular the increasing harm to civilians, which is driving a worsening and devastating human rights and humanitarian crisis across the country,” said the countries in a joint statement issued by the US Department of State on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>The visit by Canada’s Deputy Minister will be a chance to strengthen Canada’s partnerships with some of Bangladesh’s world-class non-governmental and research organizations, said the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Since January 2022, Christopher MacLennan has been deputy minister of international development where he leads on the international assistance and humanitarian response mandate of the Government of Canada. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd/fas</div>