Dhaka seeks Washington’s support to resolve Rohingya crisis

Dhaka: Bangladesh has sought continued US support to resolve Rohingya crisis as more Rohingyas fleeing violence to seek safety in Bangladesh.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali raised the issue during his meeting with visiting acting assistant secretary of US Department of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells on Tuesday.
While discussing the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State, the acting assistant secretary said the current situation in Myanmar is 'quite concerning'.
The Foreign Minister described the evolving situation there, including the recent initiatives taken by the government of Bangladesh in this regard.
He also underlined Bangladesh's full support to the report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State led by Kofi Annan and hoped that Myanmar government would do the needful keeping in view the recommendations made in that report.
The US official commended Bangladesh's 'tremendous' role in counterterrorism initiatives saying her country will continue to cooperate in this area.
Terming the bilateral relationship between the two countries as 'extraordinary', she said the United States attaches great value to its ties with Bangladesh.
Alice Wells, also acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, held an hour-long meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali at state guesthouse Padma in the morning and discussed various issues of cooperation between the two countries.
She arrived here early on Tuesday on a two-day visit and discussed security situation, energy cooperation and regional issues apart from other bilateral issues during her first day engagements, officials said.
The US official, now in her maiden trip of Dhaka, also met Prime Minister's three advisers -- Security Advisor Major General (retd) Tarique Siddiqui, Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e- Elahi Chowdhury and International Affairs Advisor Gowher Rizvi -- on the first day of her visit.
She will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday, a senior official told UNB.
The US official is scheduled to have meetings with business leaders and civil society representatives to discuss US cooperation in the region before her departure on Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Ali welcomed the US acting assistant secretary on her maiden visit to Bangladesh and hoped that it would give her a firsthand experience about the country, its people and its ongoing impressive journey towards development.
He underscored that Bangladesh is looking forward to working closely with the Trump Administration for advancing the bilateral and multilateral interests.
The US official mentioned that this first visit would give her a wonderful opportunity to be acquainted with the country.
On trade issue, she mentioned that Bangladesh is a huge market of 160 million people with a large aspiring middle class which is getting more and more attention from the US business community.
The Foreign Minister said the United States was offered to invest in Special Economic Zone to have a robust trade and investment relationship with Bangladesh, and hoped that the United States will avail of this opportunity.
They also discussed other issues of bilateral and multilateral interest. The US official expressed her hope to visit the country again.
On September 1, Alice Wells will speak at the Indian Ocean Conference in Colombo, which will bring together high-level officials from around the world to discuss peace, progress, and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.