In 1st visit to Bangladesh's transitional government, US pledges support for renewed growth, economic reforms

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – A visiting US delegation, the first from the West since Bangladesh’s transitional government took office in August, has pledged to support the country's path towards renewed growth and expanded economic opportunities.

The delegation made the pledge after meeting with Muhammad Yunus, the transitional government head, on Sunday in the capital Dhaka, according to a US Embassy social media post.

The US affirms its “dedication to fostering inclusive economic growth, institution building, and development to benefit the people of Bangladesh,” said the post, adding: “As Bangladesh looks to chart a more equitable and inclusive future, the U.S. stands ready to support those efforts."

Brent Neiman, assistant Treasury secretary for international finance, is leading the US delegation, which also includes Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu. The team arrived on Saturday for a three-day official visit.

The visiting team also met foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain.

“We are committed to helping expand economic opportunities, build institutional capacity, uphold human rights, and mitigate climate risks with our partner, Bangladesh,” said the US Embassy following their meeting.

The embassy also said that they support Bangladesh’s path towards renewed dynamism and growth.

“With the right economic reforms in place, the American private sector can help unlock Bangladesh’s growth potential through trade and investment,” said the embassy following a meeting with Bangladeshi businesspeople on Saturday.

Nobel laureate Yunus took charge on Aug. 8 after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled in the face of a student-civilian uprising. In an interview, she later claimed the US was behind her ouster.

In the presence of the delegation, on Sunday Bangladesh’s Finance Ministry and the United States Agency for International Development USAID signed a deal under which USAID will provide a $202 million grant to promote good governance, resilience, and social, human, and economic opportunity.