Donald Lu likely to visit Dhaka this month
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu is likely to visit Dhaka in the middle of this month to advance the US-Bangladesh relationship and set its future framework.
"A discussion on the US official's visit to Dhaka on May 14 is going on. However, the date may be changed. He will be coming in the middle of this month," a diplomatic source said.
Another diplomatic source said Lu, who toured Bangladesh in January last year, was supposed to visit Dhaka early this year, but it was postponed.
This will be the highest-level US official to visit Dhaka after the January 7 national election that Washington termed not free and fair.
During his visit, Lu is likely to hold a meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, and call on Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and PM's Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman F Rahman.
The US assistant secretary of state is also likely to hold meetings with the civil society groups and labour leaders.
The US, had been very vocal about free and fair elections ahead of the parliamentary polls in Bangladesh this year. It also announced a visa policy last year, nearly two years after imposing a sanction against Rab and some of its officials.
Though Washington termed the January 7 polls not free and fair, it promised to work with Bangladesh in the areas of economic development, promoting democracy, human rights, climate change, Rohingya, and security.
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