US official Afreen Akhter coming to Dhaka

US State Department official Afreen Akhter is coming to Dhaka on Sunday – the first visit by any US official after Bangladesh’s January 7 general election.

Notably, the US did not find the election free and fair and said would continue to engage with Bangladesh to advance common interests.

Akhter is the deputy assistant secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

She will meet with her counterpart, the director general of the foreign ministry's America wing, during the three-day visit, among others.

Earlier, President Joe Biden wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing his willingness to work together to achieve Bangladesh's economic goals.

He also expressed willingness to partner with Bangladesh on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

President Biden said in his letter: "The United States is committed to supporting Bangladesh's ambitious economic goals and partnering with Bangladesh on our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific." 

As the two countries embark on the next chapter of the US-Bangladesh partnership, the US president said he wanted to convey the sincere desire of his administration to continue their work together on regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, humanitarian support, especially for Rohingya refugees, and more.