Meeting between PM Sheikh Hasina and US NSA, importance of improving bilateral relations discussed

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan last week, during which they discussed the importance of improving relations between the two countries, the White House said. The Bangladeshi Prime Minister was in Washington last week and also met several other senior officials of the Biden administration. Last month, he had a productive meeting with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi.

John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications at the National Security Council at the White House, told reporters that there was a discussion about the importance of improving our bilateral relationship on a range of issues, including climate change. Both the meetings assumed importance in view of the upcoming general elections in Bangladesh. Kirby said in response to a question that he talked about the importance of free and fair elections.

A day earlier, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller had told reporters that the United States wants what Bangladeshis themselves want: free and fair elections that are conducted peacefully. He said that the government, political parties, civil society and media in Bangladesh have all expressed their desire that the upcoming national elections should be free and fair and conducted in a peaceful manner as we want.