Diplomatic Correspondent/

The United States has called for ensuring free, fair and peaceful national elections in Bangladesh. Along with this, the country has once again given importance to ensure the development of human rights. Deputy Secretary Wendy R. Sherman held at the US State Department with the State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Washington gave this message in Shahriar Alam’s meeting. US State Department spokesman Ned Price told the media.

According to a notification of the United States Department of State on Saturday, Wendy Sherman expressed grief over the death of three Bangladeshi peacekeepers in UN peacekeeping while on duty in the Central African Republic on October 4. In the meeting, he spoke about the US commitment to the citizens of Ukraine against Russia’s illegal war. The Deputy Secretary of the US Department of State and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs discussed the partnership in 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. At this time, Wendy R. Sherman called for the development of human rights and ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections in Bangladesh.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam is currently in the United States on the occasion of the United Nations Human Rights Council membership vote on October 11.

Today, a press release sent by the Bangladesh Embassy in the United States informed that the State Minister for Foreign Affairs expressed sincere thanks to the US government for providing about 88 million vaccines to combat the corona epidemic. Apart from this, he sincerely appreciated the US humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya and the efforts of the US to ensure the repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar.

At the same time, Shahriar Alam sought US assistance in the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding LDCs. He also drew the attention of the United States to an action-oriented discussion on damages at the upcoming 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference. In this context, Wendy R. Sherman praised Bangladesh’s leadership in climate change and urged Bangladesh to join the ‘Global Methane Pledge’ before COP-27.

In the meeting, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs urged the country’s government to lift the US sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its senior officers.

Referring to the progress in Bangladesh’s labor sector, Deputy Secretary Sherman emphasized on strengthening cooperation between the two countries to increase bilateral trade. Ukraine war, food and energy security and Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary elections were also discussed.

Urging the US government to immediately send Bangabandhu’s self-confessed killer Rashed Chowdhury back to Bangladesh, the state minister said the issue is very important to the people of Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He emphasized on the signing of the extradition agreement between Bangladesh and the United States as soon as possible.