US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu reached Dhaka this morning (14 May), on a two-day visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation and demonstrate US support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
During the third leg of his visit to South Asia after India and Sri Lanka, Lu will meet Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman F Rahman, Forest and Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, and civil society leaders.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud earlier said issues related to visa policy and Dhaka's call for the withdrawal of sanctions may be discussed during Lu's visit.
According to a statement from the US State Department, Lu will discuss US-Bangladesh cooperation, including addressing the climate crisis and deepening economic ties.
Lu is the highest-level US official visiting Dhaka after the January 7 national election that Washington termed not free and fair. He last visited Bangladesh in January last year.
