US Dept of State delegation due today

An US delegation led by Counsellor of the US Department of State Ambassador Thomas Shannon will arrive in Dhaka today on a one-and-a-half day visit.

During the visit, the delegation is expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, and Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and hold a bilateral meeting with Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque.

Thomas A Shannon, who has been nominated as the next under-secretary for political affairs of the state department, will also likely meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia before departing for Colombo tomorrow noon.

Shannon will be accompanied by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asia Manpreet Singh Anand.   

Security, trade, development and countering extremism will dominate the talks. Shannon will also address a seminar on "The US-Bangladesh Relationship: Working Together on Global Issue" organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.