The ongoing Rohingya crisis is going to dominate the sixth edition of the Bangladesh-United States partnership dialogue, the highest bilateral platform between the two countries, to be held in the capital, according to diplomatic sources. Unlike other five previous dialogues, this dialogue comprising working group and plenary sessions, will take place on two separate days, they said.
The working group’s session will take place today (Wednesday) and the plenary session on November 5, which will be co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and his US counterpart undersecretary of state for political affairs Thomas Shannon, who arrives in the capital on November 5 on a two-day visit,.
“Usually, the dialogue takes place in two consecutive days. But, this time round, working group will meet tomorrow (Wednesday) while the plenary session will take place on November 5. Since a US delegation headed by an assistant secretary and comprised some senior officials is due to arrive tomorrow from Myanmar, we are holding the session of the working group,” said a senior diplomat.
Simon Henshaw, acting assistant secretary of state for the bureau of population, refugees, and migration, is being accompanied by deputy assistant Secretary Scott Busby of the bureau of democracy, human rights, and labour, acting deputy assistant secretary Tom Vajda of the bureau of south and central Asian affairs and office director Patricia Mahoney of the bureau of east Asian and pacific affairs.
Apart from taking part in the working group session of the partnership dialogue, the team will meet with various stakeholders to discuss the US and international responses to the ongoing crisis and to explore durable solutions. “Naturally, we will talk about Rohingya
crisis for a long time given the magnitude of the problem. We will highlight the challenges we are facing in sheltering these persecuted people,” said another diplomat.
“While appreciating Washington’s role regarding the crisis, we will stress the need for doing as much as possible to ensure the safe return of Rohingyas as soon as possible. We will also highlight the regional and global implications if this crisis lingers,” he said.
Usually, he pointed out that the dialogue takes place around June or July, but this time it has been delayed due to the delay of structuring the state department under the new administration.
“We believe the US has the power to do something even unilaterally,” said a top diplomat, describing it as ‘very important because it is going to be the highest bilateral engagement after the Trump administration assumed office on January 20.
Aside from the Rohingya issue, the working group discussions today will cover the full range of bilateral and regional topics of interest, including security cooperation, development and governance cooperation, and trade and investment cooperation.
Under the above three broad areas of cooperation, both sides will discuss issues related to trade and investment, women’s empowerment, climate change, health, food security, blue economy, peacekeeping, humanitarian and development assistance, and countering terrorism and violent extremism.
In addition to the existing areas of cooperation, they will also try to identify the new avenues. The Bangladesh side is likely to press for GSP restoration, duty free quota free access of Bangladeshi products to US market and more US investments.
During the plenary session on November 5, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and Undersecretary Thomas Shannon will review the progresses and recommendations of their working group. While in Dhaka, Shannon is scheduled to meet, among others, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali. He will leave Dhaka on Nov 6.