John Kerry to arrive on August 29
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives here on a brief visit on August 29, which many are considering a major development in the relationship between Dhaka and Washington.
A highly placed diplomatic source in Washington told The Daily Star last night that Kerry will carry the message of US President Barack Obama that the US wants to take its ties with Bangladesh to new heights.
Kerry during his day-long visit will hold discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues, including security, with his Bangladeshi counterpart AH Mahmood Ali.
The US secretary of state will be here on the morning of August 29 and leave for New Delhi later in the evening, a source at Bangladesh embassy in Washington said.
There is an event in New Delhi on August 30, which he will be attending.
There is no official announcement of the visit yet, diplomatic sources said.
Bangladesh Ambassador in Washington Mohammad Ziauddin will depart for Dhaka on August 26 and arrive the following day.
It will be US Secretary of State Kerry's first visit to Bangladesh. Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, now the democratic presidential nominee, visited Bangladesh in May, 2012.
Kerry will also meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The United States is already in discussion with Bangladesh about an assistance package for countering terrorism and violent extremism.
US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat held several meetings at the foreign ministry recently, including with the foreign minister on Sunday, but did not indicate any such high-level visit.
On February 19, Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali had a meeting with Kerry at the US Department of State.
When the minister invited his counterpart to visit Bangladesh, Kerry responded “very positively” and said he would love to go at the “earliest opportunity”.
Asked for comments about Kerry's visit, a former ambassador of Bangladesh said Bangladesh's increasing strategic importance in the region was possibly one of the reasons for Kerry's visit.
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