<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu arrived here on Tuesday (May 14, 2024) to "strengthen bilateral cooperation" and to demonstrate US support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.</span><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Bangladesh, he will meet with government officials, civil society leaders, and other Bangladeshis to talk about deepening Bangladesh-US cooperation, including deepening the economic ties in ways that the two countries can collaborate further to address climate issues, said Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the US Department of State Vedant Patel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lu is here as part of his tri-nation tour of the region. He earlier visited India and Sri Lanka.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is also his first visit to Bangladesh after Awami League won the January 7 elections to form government for the third straight term.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"He is there to strengthen bilateral cooperation with each country and to demonstrate U.S. support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," Patel said from Washington.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM's adviser Salman F Rahman will host a dinner in honour of Donald Lu and his delegation at his residence today,&nbsp; said a senior official.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lu will have a bilateral meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and a courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud during his three-day stay.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Wednesday, Lu will meet Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury at 12pm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His meeting with the Foreign Secretary will be held at 1pm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The courtesy meeting with the Foreign Minister will be held at 3pm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Early morning on Thursday, Lu will leave Dhaka for Washington.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was received at Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport by Khandker Masudul Alam, director general (North America)&nbsp; at Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas was also present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a regular briefing at the US Department of State, a journalist wanted to know whether there is any specific reason why, on this third visit to Bangladesh within 17 months, assistant secretary is not holding meeting with any political party leaders, unlike his previous two visits where he engaged with various political parties, including BNP.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The journalist asked, "Has the United States shifted this position on internal political matter in Bangladesh?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In reply, Patel said a lot of factors go into who their government officials meet with or not – the schedule, time of day, lots of other things, reports UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Assistant Secretary Lu is on a swing through a number of South Asian countries – specifically India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Monday, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said that issues related to visa policy and Dhaka’s call for withdrawal of sanctions may come up for discussion during Lu’s visit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd/fas</div>