Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has called upon the United States to enhance its cooperation in Bangladesh’s security sector.
He made the appeal during a courtesy meeting with the US Chargé d’ Affaires to Bangladesh, Megan Bouldin, at his office at the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday afternoon.
The two sides discussed a range of bilateral issues concerning law and order, counterterrorism, criminal prosecution, and protection of young women from online sexual harassment, among other mutual concerns.
Welcoming the US envoy, the adviser described the United States as a “close ally” of Bangladesh, noting that Washington has long been a key partner in the country’s fight against terrorism and its broader security efforts. He particularly acknowledged the US contribution in modernising the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police through training and equipment support, expressing gratitude and requesting continued assistance in the future.
Reaffirming her government’s commitment to support Bangladesh, Bouldin said every country, including the United States, faces the threat of terrorism and violent extremism. She noted, however, that during the previous Awami League government, some incidents of political repression and state violence were portrayed as acts of terrorism to mislead the international community. Despite that, she stressed, Bangladesh must remain vigilant and proactive in its counterterrorism efforts.
In response, the adviser stated that there is currently no active militant presence in Bangladesh, although banned political organisations occasionally attempt to hold rallies, which are swiftly dealt with by law enforcement agencies. He assured that security forces remain on high alert to combat all forms of criminal activity and are operating under clear directives. Special security measures have been implemented in Dhaka’s Baridhara diplomatic zone, including the deployment of Coast Guard personnel alongside regular forces.
The US envoy thanked the government for enhancing security around the US Embassy and emphasised the importance of robust inter-agency communication, coordination, and intelligence sharing to ensure national security. She noted that such collaboration among Bangladesh’s security forces—including the regular police, National Security Intelligence (NSI), Special Branch (SB), CTTC, and the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU)—is essential for a more integrated and resilient security system.
Also present at the meeting were Khandaker Md Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Secretary (Political and ICT) of the Public Security Division; Eric Geelan, Political and Economic Counsellor at the US Embassy; and Josh Pope, Political-Military Affairs Officer.