US official Lu arrives, meets Momen over dinner

GBNEWS24DESK//

Wrapping up his two-day visit to India, US Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu arrived in Dhaka last night and had a meeting over dinner with Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas was also present during the hour-and-a-half meeting.

A source refused to disclose what they had discussed but said the discussions on bilateral issues were elaborate.

Journalists who had gathered in front of Momen’s home did not receive any formal briefing on the discussions afterwards.

The US assistant secretary, who landed around 8:00pm, is scheduled to hold formal meetings with the foreign minister, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Law Minister Anisul Huq and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman today.

He is also expected to meet civil society groups in the evening.

He will leave Dhaka tomorrow morning.

Earlier yesterday, Momen said Dhaka will request Washington to withdraw the sanctions on Rab and its seven current and former officials.

“Rab is now much more mature. We will request the US to reconsider the sanctions,” Momen told reporters after attending a discussion at Dhaka University.

“We will raise our issues and they will bring up theirs. But others [foreigners] don’t need to teach us democracy. Democracy, human rights and justice are rooted in each of our heart,” said the foreign minister.

Lu’s visit comes less than a week after the four-day Dhaka tour of US National Security Council Senior Director for South Asia Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher. This signifies the US’ eagerness to boost cooperation in defence, maritime security, and economic relationship.