Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman recently disclosed that the United States (US) has expressed a strong interest in bolstering its existing relations with Bangladesh, aiming to collaborate in various areas.

During a discussion with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu at Salman's residence in Gulshan, the US delegation conveyed their eagerness to enhance ties with Bangladesh. Salman Rahman, while briefing journalists after hosting a dinner for Donald Lu and his delegation, shared insights into the dialogue.

Salman Rahman informed that the US delegation expressed interest in understanding Bangladesh's plans to improve its foreign currency reserve situation and ensure smooth payments to US companies conducting business in Bangladesh. In response, Salman expressed optimism about increased remittance flow and export earnings, which would positively impact the reserve position.

He clarified that while there have been delays in payments in some cases, Bangladesh has not stopped making payments and is continuously working towards fulfilling its obligations. Additionally, there was no discussion on China during the meeting, as Bangladesh maintains friendly relations with all nations.

The discussion also touched upon topics such as the free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, regional power connectivity between Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, and the crisis in Gaza. Salman informed that they urged the US to exert pressure on Myanmar for the repatriation of refugees, which the US delegation agreed to support.

The dinner was attended by several prominent figures from Bangladesh, including Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq, State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, and others. From the US side, attendees included US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter D Haas, Chief of Staff of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Nate Haft, and other officials.

Donald Lu's visit aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the US and Bangladesh and demonstrate US support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The dialogue underscored the mutual interest of both countries in deepening their partnership across various domains.