1.

Atul Keshp visit

2. What achieved

3. US strategic interest

4. GSP and RAB

5. US c ncern a! ut the la! r situati n

". #he su!$c %%ittee panal &

'. (sta!lish uni ns

). B*WS

+. What Bish,at said the Bang & reign secretar-

1.. All ,ed 1.. uni n

11. Re& r% & R/G sect r 0 c ncerns

12. edit rial

13. *hinese interest

14. 1ndia

Dhaka, Delhi identify 12 areas to boost trade Star Business Rep rt Bangladesh and 1ndia have identi&ied 12 areas t ! at a %eeting in 3ha4a t da-. st !ilateral trade2 ,hich ,ill !e discussed

#he %eeting ,ill !e chaired !- 5inance /inister A/A /uhith at his %inistr- ,here * %%erce /inister # &ail Ah%ed ,ill als !e present. #he t, c untries identi&ied the & cus areas a&ter discussi ns at g vern%ent level2 ,ith the related %inistries as4ed t prepare a rep rt n the status & the areas2 a c %%erce %inistr&&icial said. #he issues n the agenda at t da-6s %eeting include intr ducti n & Bangla!andha$5ul!aria chec4 p st2 Buri%ari$*hengra!andha land p rt devel p%ent2 7a4uga n$3halu land p rt devel p%ent2 #a%a!il$3au4i land p rt devel p%ent2 strengthening rail c %%unicati n2 setting up % re p rts & call n the Brah%aputra2 intr ducti n & air lin4s !et,een 3ha4a and Gu,ahati and setting up % re ! rder haats. China grants $33m for Bangladesh Star Business 3es4 *hina is set t give Bangladesh a grant & 833.11 %illi n ,hich the c untr- can use in ansect r. (c n %ic Relati ns 3ivisi n Secretar- / ha%%ad /e9!ahuddin and *hinese A%!assad r :i ;un signed a deal n the grant at the (R3 &&ice in 3ha4a -esterda-. #he grant ,ill !e used & r the ec n %ic and technical c perati n pr 9ects t !e discussed and agreed up n su!se<uentl- !- the t, g vern%ents2 the (R3 said in a state%ent. Bangladesh can utilise the &und in an- sect r2 an (R3 &&icial said.

Bangladesh-US security dialogue !r 1" Pu!lished= 2.14$.2$1+ 14=55=11.. BdS# Updated= 2.14$.2$1+ 15=.3=5".. BdS# #he third r und & the Bangladesh$US securit- dial gue ,ill !e held n Apr 1" in 3ha4a2 the & reign %inistr- has said.

#he US c n&ir%ed the date ,hen Bangladesh>s & reign secretar- / Shahidul ?a<ue %et seni r state depart%ent &&icials including Assistant Secretar- & State & r S uth Asia 7isha 3esai Bis,al in Washingt n n #uesda-. #he securit- dial gue highlights the r !ust engage%ent !et,een the US and Bangladesh as ,ell as @gr ,ing de&ense relati nshipA. #he inaugural dial gue ,as held in 3ha4a in Apr 2.12 ,hile the sec nd ne t Washingt n last -ear in April. 4 place in

#he US state depart%ent a&ter the &irst dial gue said p sitive and su!stantial eBchanges during the dial gue re&lected @the !readth2 depth2 and strength & the !ilateral de&ense relati nship2 as ,ell as ur shared c %%it%ent t peace and pr sperit- in the regi nA. #he last dial gue t uched n siB areas & c perati n 0strategic pri rities and regi nal issues2 %ilitar-$%ilitar- engage%ent2 c unter$terr ris%2 securit- assistance2 peace4eeping and n n$ pr li&erati n issues. #he State 3epart%ent said2 % ving & r,ard2 the dial gue , uld C!r aden and strengthen> !ilateral c perati n n a ,ide range & Cp litical$%ilitar-> issues. @1t ,ill als enhance partnerships in peace4eeping2 c unterterr ris%2 and securit- c perati n2 as ,ell as 9 int %ilitar- eBercises and eBchanges2A it said a&ter the last -ear>s securit- dial gue. US official to !oliticians# Sei$e o!!ortunities Seni r * rresp ndent2 !dne,s24.c % Pu!lished= 2.14$.2$24 22=1.=41.. BdS# Updated= 2.14$.2$24 22=2)=55.. BdS# Disiting US 3eput- Assistant Secretar- & r S uth Asia Atul Keshap has urged Bangladesh>s p litical leaders t seiEe pp rtunities and , r4 t gether & r @an pen p litical and participat r-A pr cess. Spea4ing t the %edia n / nda-2 he said A%erica , uld n t dictate ,hat eBactl- needs t !e d ne. #hat2 he said2 the pe ple & Bangladesh , uld decide. @We are 9ust sa-ing there is an pp rtunit- and - u sh uld use the pp rtunit-. We respect&ullsa- seiEe the pp rtunit- and sh , the , rld - u are investing in de% crac-2 - u are per&ecting - ur de% crac-2A he said. @Fleaders can see pp rtunities and ta4e that2A he said repl-ing a <uesti n ,hether US pre&ers an- date & h lding &resh electi ns as it did n t &ind the ;an 5 parlia%entar- electi n credi!le. A&ter the p lls2 that B7P and its allies ! -c tted2 US said the- ,anted &resh electi ns s !ased n an agree%ent n the nature & the p ll$ti%e g vern%ent. n

Keshap did n t pinp int ,hat p litical pp rtunities currentl- prevailing in Bangladesh !ut said @there are % %ents that c %e at the p litical % %ent in Bangladesh2 and &ind that pp rtunitand , r4 t getherA.

A career US 5 reign Service G&&icer &r % Dirginia2 Keshap2 as 3eput- Assistant Secretar-2 , r4s cl sel- ,ith Assistant Secretar- & State & r S uth and *entral Asia 7isha 3esai Bis,al. ?e arrived n Saturda-2 his &irst visit a&ter he t n #uesda-. 4 charge in Gct !er last -ear. ?e leaves 3ha4a

3uring his sta-2 he %et the Pri%e /inister>s 1nternati nal A&&airs Adviser G ,her RiEvi2 SecuritA&&airs Adviser #ari<ue Ah%ed Siddi<ue2 State /inister & r 5 reign A&&airs Shahriar Ala%2 5 reign Secretar- / Shahidul ?a<ue2 seni r B7P leaders2 and %e%!ers & the civil s ciet-2 a% ng thers. ?e said US had a r !ust engage%ent ,ith Bangladesh and @,e ,ill c ntinue t have r !ust engage%entA. @We have a l t & things n ur dipl %atic calendar ,ith Bangladesh. We are , r4ing n upc %ing tal4s2 trade issues2 and securit- issuesA. ?e %enti ned US> ng ing devel p%ent activities in Bangladesh and said US laid the @highest i%p rtanceA n its relati ns ,ith Bangladesh. @We are investing heavil- & r the ec n %ic success & Bangladesh2A he said. A%ericans ad%ire @Bangladesh>s passi nate dev ti n t de% crac-2 and their passi nate c %%it%ent t peace&ul elect ral p liticsA. @When A%ericans l 4 at Bangladesh2 the- l 4 at a ver- pluralistic diverse c untr- that cele!rates its diversit- and cherish ,hat it has achieved2A he said. ?e said there ,ere %an- i%p rtant issues t !e pursued !et,een the pe ples & the t, c untries thr ugh their g vern%ents. ?e reiterated that vi lence in a de% cratic p litical pr cess ,as @c %pletel- unaccepta!leA and that the US re9ects it as @tactics in electi nsA. @We c ntinue t %a4e it ver- clear in ur engage%ent2A he said. Keshap urged all p litical parties @t ensure a sa&e and peace&ul p litical space ,here all parties and all individuals can participate &reel- and the- can rel- up n that space and use resp nsi!l-A. @We !elieved it is i%p rtant there ,ill !e dial gue a% ng and !et,een all & the p litical parties t agree in ,a- & r,ard that can result in electi ns that can !e dee%ed credi!le2 &ree2 and &air !- Bangladeshi pe pleA. ?e als e%phasised pr tecti n & hu%an rights and that la, en& rces d n t engage in activities ,ith i%punit-. %i&e more s!ace to ci&il society US tells foreign ministry delegates' disa!!ro&es !olitical &iolence (Bpressing c ncern2 the United States has called up n the Bangladesh g vern%ent t ensure % re space and an envir n%ent & r civil s ciet- gr ups t help the% perate &reel-.

Sti&ling & dissent under%ines Bangladesh6s vi!rant civil s ciet- and l ng$ter% sta!ilit-2 said US Assistant Secretar- & State 7isha 3esai Bis,al2 adding that it , uld !e essential t %aintain an envir n%ent and pr vide space ,here civil s ciet- can p sitivel- spar4 s cial change. Bis,al stated this earl- -esterda- HBS#I during a %eeting in Washingt n 3* ,ith a Bangladesh delegati n led !- 5 reign Secretar- Shahidul ?a<ue. Acc rding t %eeting s urces2 the assistant secretar- asserted that vi lence had n space in a de% cratic p litical pr cess and that the US ,as distur!ed !- the use & vi lence2 in&la%%at rrhet ric and inti%idati n and vi lence against %in rit- c %%unities !- p litical parties. #he US ,as als c ncerned !- recent rep rts & c ntinuing eBtra 9udicial 4illings and disappearances allegedl- caused !- securit- & rces2 the s urces added. ? ,ever2 Bis,al said alth ugh the ;anuar- 5 electi n in Bangladesh had a l , turn ut2 the US , uld c ntinue t re%ain engaged ,ith the g vern%ent & Bangladesh in , r4ing t ,ards a sta!le2 pr sper us and de% cratic c untr-2 acc rding t a & reign %inistr- press release. Gn the 5e!ruar- 11 hearing at the US Senate2 Bis,al said she ,anted t p rtra- US$ Bangladesh relati ns !e& re the senate c %%ittee in a !alanced %anner ,ithin a !r ader c nteBt2 said the press release. #he 5 reign Secretar- ,as acc %panied t the %eeting ,ith Bis,al !- Bangladesh A%!assad r t USA A4ra%ul Jader2 3eput- *hie& & /issi n /uha%%ad A!dul /uhith2 and 3irect r General HA%ericasI at the 5 reign /inistr- /ah&uEur Rah%an. Atul Keshap2 3eput- Assistant Secretar-2 Bureau & S uth K *entral Asian A&&airs2 acc %panied Bis,al at the %eeting2 ,hich ,as & ll ,ed !- a lunche n. #he Bangladesh & reign secretar- als had %eetings ,ith seni r Adviser & r /-an%ar ;udith *e&4in and a nu%!er & &&icials & the 3epart%ent & :a! ur2 US#R and State 3epart%ent6s Bureau & 3e% crac-2 ?u%an Rights and :a! ur. #he & reign secretar- !rie&ed the US &&icials a! ut the pri rities & the present g vern%ent2 particularl- la, and rder2 ec n %ic advance%ent and gr ,th in !usiness2 de% crac- and g d g vernance and regi nal integrati n2 securit- and sta!ilit-. ?e said the present leadership in Bangladesh !elieved in a c nsensus$!ased p litical pr cess and ,as al,a-s & rthc %ing in pr viding necessar- space t the p litical parties as ,ell as civil s ciet-. #he & reign secretar- reiterated the g vern%ent6s c %%it%ent t pr tect the lives and pr perties & the pe ple & Bangladesh. ?e als apprised the US &&icials & vari us pr gra%%es underta4en t pr tect la! ur rights and ensure , r4place sa&et- in the R/G sect r. #he t, sides eBtensivel- discussed regi nal integrati n and vari us regi nal and su!$regi nal arrange%ents2 including 1nd $Paci&ic * rrid r Hne, sil4 r uteI2 SAAR*2 B*1/ and ther triangular initiatives in the areas & h-dr p ,er2 energ- and c nnectivit-.

7isha Bis,al e%phasised that S uth Asia as a regi n is a c nduit !et,een (ast and West Asia and United States eBpected that Bangladesh , uld c ntinue its leading r le in pr % ting regi nal c perati n. /ean,hile2 in the %eeting n trade and la! ur issues ,ith United States #rade Representative HUS#RI2 3epart%ent & :a! ur and the Bureau & 1nternati nal :a! ur A&&airs2 there ,as n clear indicati n a! ut GSP rest rati n as the US &&icials ter%ed it a %ulti$part- a&&air and n ne c uld indicate an- h pe2 said s urces. At the %eeting n the /-an%ar issue2 ;udith *e&4in said the US , uld c ntinue pursuing the /-an%ar g vern%ent t res lve the re&ugee and displace%ent issues ,hich riginated in /-an%ar. Gn the #ic&a issue2 the US side has &iBed April '2 ) & r the &irst c uncil %eeting. /ean,hile2 the third Bangladesh$US Securit- 3ial gue ,ill !e held in 3ha4a n April 1" ,hile the third US$Bangladesh Partnership 3ial gue ,ill ta4e place in Washingt n in %id$;une. A 4$%e%!er Bangladesh delegati n led !- the 5 reign Secretar- is n , in Washingt n t attend the sec nd steering c %%ittee %eeting & the Gl !al 5und & r * %%unit- (ngage%ent and Resilience scheduled & r t da-.