Security Talks: Bangladesh, US officials sit in Dhaka
Government and military officials of Bangladesh and the United States meet in Dhaka this morning to discuss enhancing collaboration in countering terrorism and violent extremism.
The security dialogue with the US has special significance as it is taking place against the backdrop of the terrorist attack on Holey Artisan Bakery, killing 22 people, mostly foreigners.
This is the fifth such dialogue between Dhaka and Washington since 2012.
The annual dialogue will feature regional cooperation, traditional and non-traditional security, counterterrorism, military-to-military engagement, disaster management, cyber security and peacekeeping, said diplomatic sources.
Additional Foreign Secretary (Bilateral) Kamrul Ahsan will lead the Bangladesh side during the daylong dialogue starting at 9:00am at State Guesthouse Meghna.
Senior military officials of armed forces division, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and civil officials from different ministries will attend it.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Security and Security Assistance of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs William GP Monahan will lead the US side. Senior officials from US Department of State, US Defence, Homeland Security, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and others will also join.
The US side expects to know the development made following US proposals on countering violent extremism. The proposals were placed before Bangladesh after the killing of US embassy's locally-hired staff Xulhaz Mannan on April 25.
Diplomatic sources said Bangladesh and the US will discuss ways to further strengthen security cooperation between the two countries with specific focus on mechanisms to counter extremism and terrorism in a better way.
The US has planned for extensive engagement with Asian countries, including Bangladesh, for global security against terrorism and secured navigation to protect the world trade process.
Dhaka and Washington currently have three structured forum for dialogue. They are: US-Bangladesh Dialogue on Security Issues, Bangladesh-US Partnership Dialogue and US–Bangladesh Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (Ticfa).
The first security dialogue was held in Dhaka on April 19, 2012, second in Washington in April, 2013, third round on April 22, 2014 in Dhaka and the fourth dialogue in Washington on September 11, 2015.