Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said that the USA want to maintain good relations with Bangladesh because of its economic success.
“We are a growing to become a big economy, we are the 35th economy of the world. So the US wants to maintain good relations with us” Dr Momen said.
US President Joe Biden also wants to elevate our bilateral ties in the next 50 years, the minister said, adding that the values and principles of both countries are the same.
“They believe in democratic and human rights and our people have sacrificed blood for establishing democracy and human rights”.
“But we have made it very clear that if they have some issues with us they should simply call us. We are ready to rectify our weaknesses. They admitted that they also have weaknesses,” he said.
Responding to your questions of the recent visit of Donald Lu, the US assistant secretary of state, the foreign minister said that the US is very happy with Bangladesh and that the visit of Danalu was very fruitful and constructive.
‘”And we are also happy with Peter Haas because he is an expert on the economy and our main focus is the economic sector. We want economic emancipation and in this area, he can contribute to us” the minister noted.
Responding to the question the minister said that the accountability of the RAB increased immensely now.
He admitted that there are some wrongdoings were carried out by them.
But now they have totally changed. And many RAB personnel were brought to the book for violating rules, he mentioned.
Meanwhile, a US embassy spokesman on Tuesday said that during his Dhaka visit Assistant Secretary Lu did not indicate a time frame for the removal of RAB sanctions.
In response to reports in a section of media that the US would be going to withdraw sanction against RAB, Jeff Ridenour, Spokesperson, US Embassy said
Assistant Secretary Lu praised the Bangladesh government for the dramatic reduction last year in the number of allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances by the RAB.
“We applaud the Government of Bangladesh’s efforts in these continued reforms and encourage the Bangladesh government to conduct independent investigations of alleged extrajudicial killings”.
