Cooperation between Dhaka and Washington is steadily deepening as the BNP-led government continues policies initiated by the interim administration, opening new avenues for engagement with the United States.
Since the new government took office in February, the two countries have intensified high-level exchanges, signed a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation, moved closer to finalising the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), and expanded bilateral trade, including increased imports from the United States, said diplomatic sources.
Former ambassador Mahbub Hassan Saleh said the growing engagement reflects a positive understanding between the BNP government and the Trump administration.
“It appears that the understanding between the BNP government and the Trump administration is good, and this is going to better in the days ahead,” he said.
He noted that cooperation in energy, readymade garments, agriculture, security and defence is expanding and is expected to grow further in the coming years.
Energy partnership gains new momentum
Dhaka and Washington on Thursday signed a five-year memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation in the energy sector.
As part of the initiative, Bangladesh will send a delegation to Texas to explore future energy partnerships with US suppliers.
The MoU was signed at the US Department of Energy in Washington, DC, by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
According to a press release issued by the Bangladesh Embassy, the agreement comes at a time when many countries, including Bangladesh, are facing significant challenges in ensuring energy security amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The agreement is expected to support Bangladesh’s efforts to diversify its energy sources through affordable and sustainable supply chains, while also creating broader opportunities for cooperation with the United States.
The MoU will facilitate capacity-building initiatives, exchanges of knowledge and expertise, and joint studies in areas such as oil, gas, geothermal energy and bioenergy. It is also expected to support Bangladesh’s imports of US LNG, LPG and other energy products at competitive prices.
Defence cooperation advances
Bangladesh and the United States have also continued discussions on two key defence agreements — GSOMIA and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).
After years of negotiations, the text of GSOMIA has been finalised, while ACSA has reached the fourth stage of a five-stage negotiation process.
ACSA and GSOMIA are considered as foundational agreements and the latter is a prerequisite for Bangladesh to procure sophisticated US defence equipment. The process involves initial security consultations, reciprocal review visits, assessments of legal and institutional safeguards, and a final review before signing. However, signing the agreements does not guarantee purchase of weapons from Washington.
Mahbub Hassan Saleh, who previously served as deputy chief of mission in Washington, described the growing engagement as a positive development for bilateral relations.
“It is encouraging that both countries are engaging and cooperating in multiple sectors,” he said.
“The number of visits has increased, which is a positive sign. The more interaction the two sides have, the stronger the relationship will become. I believe we are moving in the right direction and will see even greater cooperation in the future,” he added.
