Published: 12:26 AM, 20 May 2026
Dhaka, Washington affirm upward trajectory in ties
Bangladesh and the United States (US) have reaffirmed commitment to further strengthening their partnership across various areas of mutual interest including trade, energy, defense, the Rohingya crisis, Indo-Pacific and people-to-people contacts.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed met U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Paul Kapur at the State Department on Monday and discussed the issues of mutual interest.
During the meeting, both the State Minister and the US Assistant Secretary expressed satisfaction at the upward trajectory of Bangladesh-US relations.
They also underscored the importance of regular high-level dialogues to maintain momentum in the growing relationship.
The State Minister paid a brief visit to Washington, D.C. on May 18.
During her visit she met senior U.S. Government officials at the Department of State and senior leaderships of International Republican Institute (IRI) and the Atlantic Council, said the Bangladesh Mission in Washington.
She met Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) Andrew Veprek at the bureau's office. During this meeting, the State Minister thanked the United States Government for their continued support to the Rohingyacause.
Both the State Minister and the Assistant Secretary (PRM) agreed to work together to ensure sustainable and safe return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Apart from the meetings with the senior U.S. government officials, Shama Obaed met with the President of the International Republican Institute (IRI) Dr. Daniel Twining at the IRI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The State Minister appreciated the IRI's longstanding partnership in supporting Bangladesh's democratic development.
She commended IRI's election observation delegation for their constructive role in promoting transparent and credible elections in Bangladesh.
The State Minister highlighted the government's commitment to inclusive democracy, youth empowerment, women's political participation, protection of religious minorities, and strengthening civil society and media capacity.
The State Minister addressed a roundtable discussion at the Atlantic Council, a Washingto, D.C., based premier think tank, where she highlighted Bangladesh's democratic transition, economic openness, and commitment to balanced and pragmatic foreign policy.
In her remarks, she underscored the growing Bangladesh-US partnership in trade, energy, technology, and education, while reaffirming Bangladesh's vision for regional stability and constructive engagement with its neighbours.
The State Minister also responded to questions from the participants of the hybrid event.
Following the roundtable discussion, the State Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Executive Vice President of the Atlantic Council, Jenna Ben-Yehuda.
In the meeting, the State Minister reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to constitutional democracy, inclusive development, women's empowerment, minority rights, and regional stability.
She also underscored the importance of sustaining international attention on the Rohingya crisis and called for greater engagement by leading US policy institutions in fostering a balanced, informed, and objective understanding of Bangladesh globally.
Bangladesh Embassy officials and officials of State Department and IRI and Atlantic Council assisted the respective principals in all the events.
