Kerry’s crucial visit

Kerry’s comments on Bangabandhu marks a major shift in US attitude to Bangladesh’s Liberation War

Tuesday’s seven-hour long visit of US Secretary of State of John Kerry to Bangladesh on his way to New Delhi was very significant on a number of counts. First of all, in this time of escalating extremism and violence that has spread globally, Bangladesh recently became victim of a large-scale terrorist attack on July 1 when dozens of people including foreign nationals got killed. It was followed by another attack during the Eid prayer at Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj.  In response to the rising threat of terrorism, law enforcers in Bangladesh made some swift and successful endeavours against the extremists as they busted a den of terrorists at Kalyanpur in the capital, and just three days’ before John Kerry’s visit to Dhaka, the law enforcers on Saturday killed in an encounter the mastermind of Gulshan Holey Artisan Bakery attack, Tamim Chowdhury, in Narayanganj.
At this time the US secretary of state made his crucial visit and put emphasis on the need of information sharing and constant communication as well as good governance for fighting terrorism. Need-based assistance from the US as and when Bangladesh needs it, more specifically technological assistance and intelligence, can indeed bolster Bangladesh efforts to fight the extremist elements within its territory. Bangladesh is quite right in not agreeing with the US on its interest on broader FBI activity in Bangladesh and seeking access to interrogate any militants.
However, terrorism apart, Bangladesh’s bilateral relationship with the US can still be made warmer if the US government lifts its ban on duty-free and quota-free access of Bangladeshi products to American markets, which Bangladesh deserves as a LDC. Since the ban on 2013, Bangladesh relentlessly tried to make the US happy on its demand to improve its records on workers rights but the US did not budge.
Now, the socio-economic conditions of Bangladesh and US are markedly different; yet the change in the work atmosphere in garments factories as well as state of workers rights in the post-Rana Plaza Bangladesh is greatly significant. As Bangladesh is striving to make better the scenarios in this regard, the US should positively waive the ban on duty-free quota-free access of Bangladeshi products to the US markets.
While no significant commitment came from the US secretary of state on sending Bangabandhu’s killer Rashed Chowdhury to Bangladesh, his visit to the Bangabandhu Museum and extending his sympathy to Sheikh Hasina on the assassination of her father and most of her family members on 15 August 1975, indeed marks a major shift in US attitude to Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Independence and great leadership role of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We welcome this change.   

Kerrys crucial visit

Kerrys comments on Bangabandhu marks a major shift in US attitude to Bangladeshs Liberation War

Tuesdays seven-hour long visit of US Secretary of State of John Kerry to Bangladesh on his way to New Delhi was very significant on a number of counts. First of all, in this time of escalating extremism and violence that has spread globally, Bangladesh recently became victim of a large-scale terrorist attack on July 1 when dozens of people including foreign nationals got killed. It was followed by another attack during the Eid prayer at Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj. In response to the rising threat of terrorism, law enforcers in Bangladesh made some swift and successful endeavours against the extremists as they busted a den of terrorists at Kalyanpur in the capital, and just three days before John Kerrys visit to Dhaka, the law enforcers on Saturday killed in an encounter the mastermind of Gulshan Holey Artisan Bakery attack, Tamim Chowdhury, in Narayanganj. At this time the US secretary of state made his crucial visit and put emphasis on the need of information sharing and constant communication as well as good governance for fighting terrorism. Need-based assistance from the US as and when Bangladesh needs it, more specifically technological assistance and intelligence, can indeed bolster Bangladesh efforts to fight the extremist elements within its territory. Bangladesh is quite right in not agreeing with the US on its interest on broader FBI activity in Bangladesh and seeking access to interrogate any militants. However, terrorism apart, Bangladeshs bilateral relationship with the US can still be made warmer if the US government lifts its ban on duty-free and quota-free access of Bangladeshi products to American markets, which Bangladesh deserves as a LDC. Since the ban on 2013, Bangladesh relentlessly tried to make the US happy on its demand to improve its records on workers rights but the US did not budge. Now, the socio-economic conditions of Bangladesh and US are markedly different; yet the change in the work atmosphere in garments factories as well as state of workers rights in the post-Rana Plaza Bangladesh is greatly significant. As Bangladesh is striving to make better the scenarios in this regard, the US should positively waive the ban on duty-free quota-free access of Bangladeshi products to the US markets. While no significant commitment came from the US secretary of state on sending Bangabandhus killer Rashed Chowdhury to Bangladesh, his visit to the Bangabandhu Museum and extending his sympathy to Sheikh Hasina on the assassination of her father and most of her family members on 15 August 1975, indeed marks a major shift in US attitude to Bangladeshs 1971 War of Independence and great leadership role of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We welcome this change.