Sears Towers a manifestation of what US, Bangladesh can achieve together

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited the example of the iconic Sears Tower to refer to what the Bangladeshis and Americans can achieve together – in a message marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In a video message posted on his Twitter account, he said that for generations, Bangladeshis have made tremendous contributions to the United States.

In 1952, Fazlur Rahman Khan was the first Bangladeshi to receive the Fulbright Scholarship to study in the US, completed his PhD and two master's degrees in structural engineering and mechanics. Later, he joined an architecture firm in Chicago where he designed an office building for Sears Corporation.

In 1973, just a year after the US and Bangladesh established diplomatic relations, the iconic Sears Tower was finished in downtown Chicago.

"Since then, the tower has defined a classic American skyline and it represents just one manifestation of what Americans and Bangladeshis can do together," Blinken said.

Bangladesh's Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen is now in Washington and will hold a bilateral meeting with Blinken in his office today, marking the 50th year of diplomatic relationship.

He recalled that in February 1972, Senator Ted Kennedy visited Bangladesh and spoke to the students at University of Dhaka and the values that tied the peoples of the two countries – the similar struggles for independence, love for liberty and journeys to follow the star of freedom.

Soon after, on April 4, then US President Richard Nixon sent a letter to Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, establishing the diplomatic ties, predicting that the ties and good will between the two peoples would grow for years to come, Blinken said.

He said 50 years later, the two countries collaborate virtually on every issue that matters to the people and the ties between Bangladeshis and Americans grow deeper and more intertwined with every generation.

"Our countries have forged partnership to improve public health, strengthening local health systems, bringing down the maternal mortality by two thirds over the last two decades, and providing 61 million of Covid-19 vaccines to combat pandemic," Blinken said.

In 2021, the US bought more Bangladeshi products than any other country did, representing some $8.3 billion.

He said the US encourages Bangladesh to make progress on workers' rights to deepen the robust economic partnership.

"We are tackling the climate crisis together, strengthening the resilience of the communities that are already affected by the rising sea level and more severe storms, investing in clean energy and protecting wetlands and forests in Bangladesh for future generations," the US Secretary of State said.

He said the US and Bangladesh address humanitarian conflicts and crises together, from responding to natural disasters to supporting Bangladesh's role as one of the largest contributors to the UN peacekeeping operations.

The two countries are also working together to help the Rohingyas, who fled genocide and crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar military, Blinken said.

He also commended Bangladesh for sheltering a million Rohingyas and for continuing to support for those efforts as they have been doing since the crisis started in 2017.

"I look forward to seeing what our people will build together in the decades ahead as we continue to follow that 'star of freedom'."