Two US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State are arriving in Dhaka on a three-day visit early Wednesday. The visit by the first delegation of US President Donald Trump's administration will focus on Bangladesh's reform and democratic transition, Trump's retaliatory tariffs, Various issues related to Dhaka-Washington relations, including assistance in the Rohingya crisis and the situation in Myanmar, will be discussed.
Bangladeshi officials in the Foreign Ministry and Washington said that US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nicole Chulik will arrive in Dhaka first on Wednesday. Later, Andrew Herrap, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, will arrive on another flight. Susan Stevenson, the US Ambassador-at-Large to Myanmar, is scheduled to join Andrew Herrap's entourage in Bangladesh.
According to diplomatic sources, the two U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretaries of State will begin the first day of their visit by discussing the situation in Bangladesh with officials of the U.S. Embassy. After that, they will gradually hold meetings with leaders of various political parties including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as representatives of civil society. On Thursday, the two U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretaries of State will meet with senior government representatives including Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Tawhid Hossain and National Security Advisor Khairul Rahman.
On the other hand, Andrew Herrup's visit will focus on the situation in Myanmar and the Rohingya crisis. Except for some areas, the junta government has no control over most parts of Myanmar. The country has become a hub for drug trafficking, illegal arms, abduction and detention of foreign nationals, and human trafficking involving women and children. The Rohingya issue is also a part of this context. As a result, the entire situation is expected to be discussed during Andrew Herrup's visit to Dhaka.
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