US to discuss economic support for Bangladesh interim government
The U.S. State and Treasury departments said on Tuesday that U.S. officials will hold talks with Bangladesh’s interim government to determine how the U.S. can support the country’s economy and development.
An interim government led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in last month. It aims to hold elections in South Asia after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster following deadly protests.
A State Department statement said Donald Lu, assistant secretary for South Asia, will be part of a U.S. delegation holding meetings with the Bangladeshi interim government. During the Sept. 10-16 trip, Lu will also visit India.
The State Department said the delegation would include representatives from the Treasury, USAID, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
“U.S. and Bangladeshi officials will discuss how the United States can support Bangladesh’s economic growth, financial stability, and development needs,” the statement said.
A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said the delegation was expected to meet with high-level interim government members, including Yunus, foreign affairs adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain, finance and commerce adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, and Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan Mansur.
“The United States is optimistic that, by implementing needed reforms, Bangladesh can address its economic vulnerabilities and build a foundation for continued growth and increased prosperity,” Brent Neiman, assistant Treasury secretary for international finance, said in a statement.
Bangladesh’s $450-billion economy has slowed sharply since the Russia-Ukraine war pushed up fuel and food import prices, forcing it to turn to the International Monetary Fund last year for a $4.7-billion bailout.
The State Department statement said that in India, Lu and Jedidiah Royal, the U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, will discuss defense cooperation and ways to expand U.S.-India collaboration in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
