US officials are set to engage in discussions with Bangladesh's interim government to explore avenues for the United States to bolster the country's economic and developmental prospects, according to a statement released by the US State Department on Tuesday.
The interim government, spearheaded by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, was inaugurated last month with the primary objective of organizing elections in the South Asian nation following the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amidst violent protests.
A State Department announcement revealed that Donald Lu, the Assistant Secretary for South Asia, will be part of a US delegation scheduled to meet with the Bangladeshi interim government. Lu will also be visiting India during his September 10-16 trip.
The delegation will comprise representatives from the US Treasury, USAID, and the Office of the US Trade Representative. The statement emphasized that the discussions will focus on how the United States can support Bangladesh's economic growth, financial stability, and development requirements.
Earlier, The Financial Times reported that the delegation would convene with Bangladeshi officials, including Yunus, on Saturday and Sunday in Dhaka to address Bangladesh's fiscal and monetary policies, as well as the state of its financial system.
Brent Neiman, Assistant US Treasury Secretary for International Finance, expressed optimism in the newspaper, stating that through the implementation of necessary reforms, Bangladesh can mitigate its economic vulnerabilities and establish a robust foundation for sustained growth and enhanced prosperity.
Bangladesh's $450-billion economy has experienced a significant slowdown due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has escalated the costs of fuel and food imports, compelling the nation to seek a $4.7-billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund last year.
In India, Lu and US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah Royal will deliberate on defense cooperation and strategies to expand US-India collaboration across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, as per the State Department statement.
