Donald Lu coming to Dhaka to strengthen relations
US assistant secretary of state for south and central Asian affairs Donald Lu will be visiting Bangladesh to strengthen the Dhaka-Washington relations and to discuss the outline of future relationships between the two countries.
According to diplomatic sources, Lu is expected to arrive in Dhaka on May 14 for a two-day visit.
Donald Lu is slated to hold bilateral discussions with Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen. Additionally, he will pay courtesy visits to Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Advisor Salman F Rahman. Lu also plans to engage with representatives from civil society to exchange perspectives.
This visit marks the first high-level delegation from the US Department of State since the January 7th elections. Previously, a US delegation led by Eileen Laubacher, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South Asia of the US National Security Council (NSC), visited Dhaka. The discussions during that visit underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral ties and addressed geopolitical and regional security concerns.
Regarding Lu's upcoming visit, several officials emphasized that President Joe Biden conveyed the USA's commitment to strengthening relations with Bangladesh in a letter sent to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last February.
In his letter, President Biden highlighted the intention to inaugurate a new chapter of US-Bangladesh partnerships, emphasizing key priorities such as regional and global security, economic development, climate change and energy, global health, and humanitarian assistance, particularly regarding the Rohingya crisis. Lu's visit is expected to shed light on other areas of US focus concerning its relationship with Bangladesh.
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