Uzra Zeya, visiting Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights and Assistant Secretary for Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this morning. The meeting lasted over an hour.
Uzra Zeya said the United States announced the new visa policy to supplement Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s commitment to hold free, fair and neutral election.
“We do not have any bias towards any party, we want a neutral, free and fair election”, Zeya was quoted as telling the PM.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that it is her commitment to hold free and fair election in the country.
“We always fought for free and fair election in the country, we already have held free and fair election”, she said.
She mentioned that Awami League always fought for the rights of the people.
“We always fight for people’s right to choose their representatives”, she said.
She also mentioned that it was BNP who started vote rigging in the country. In this connection, she said that transparent ballot boxes have been introduced for polls.
Hasina recalled the atrocities, terrorist activities and arson attacks of BNP and their allies during 2013-15 that left 500 people killed.
Zeya told the PM that she visited Rohingya camps and talked to the displaced people from Myanmar.
She put emphasis on strengthening coordinated international efforts to ensure the reparation of the Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.
She mentioned that US will provide some US$74 million for the operational cost in Rohingya camps.
She highly appreciated Sheikh Hasina for hosting such a huge number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh currently is hosting more than one million Rohingyas in two different areas of the country.
She also mentioned that human trafficking and anti-social activities are going on in these camps which are very much alarming for the country’s security.
Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh Ambassador to United States Mohammad Imran, US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and US Ambassador Peter Haas were present.
Uzra Zeya arrived here on July 11, 2023 evening to advance “shared solutions” to global challenges; contribute to a more free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific; and bolster humanitarian support for refugees and host communities throughout the region.
The United States has said holding free and fair elections in Bangladesh is a “shared desire” of the two friendly countries.
“It’s a desire that we share as a friend and partner of Bangladesh for over 50 years,” said US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a regular briefing at the State Department on Monday (July 10, 2023).
Meanwhile, after the meeting, the two top officials of the US State Department met Law Minister Anisul Haque and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan in their respective offices. Besides, they will participate in lunch with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.
This afternoon the US officials will hold a meeting with the officials of the US Embassy and prominent people of the civil society. After that, Uzra Zeya is scheduled to attend a dinner at the invitation of Prime Minister’s Advisor on Private Industry and Investment Salman F. Rahman.
Uzra Zeya and Donald Lu arrived in Dhaka from Delhi on a 4-day visit on July 11, 2023 evening to advance “shared solutions” to global challenges; contribute to a more free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific; and bolster humanitarian support for refugees and host communities throughout the region. Among their tour companions are Anjali Kaur, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the USAID Asia Bureau. On July 12, 2203 they visited the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar.
After the series of meetings today, the delegation is scheduled to leave early tomorrow.
Democracy, human rights, labor rights, freedom of expression, humanitarian assistance are some of the issues she is likely to discuss with Bangladesh top officials.
