State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has paid a brief visit to Washington, DC, where she met senior US government officials and leaders of key policy institutions.
She held talks with US Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) S Paul Kapur at the Department of State on Monday, said a press release.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the upward trajectory of Bangladesh–US relations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the partnership across areas of mutual interest, including trade, energy, defense, the Rohingya crisis, Indo‑Pacific cooperation and people‑to‑people contact.
They underscored the importance of regular high‑level dialogues to sustain momentum in the growing relationship.
Earlier, the state minister met Andrew Veprek, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
She also thanked the US for its continued support to the Rohingya cause, with both sides agreeing to work together to ensure the sustainable and safe return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Beyond government meetings, Shama Obaed met President Daniel Twining at the International Republican Institute (IRI) and commended its longstanding role in supporting Bangladesh’s democratic development, including election observation efforts.
She highlighted the government’s commitment to inclusive democracy, youth empowerment, women’s political participation, protection of minorities, and strengthening civil society and media capacity.
Later in the day, she addressed a roundtable at the Atlantic Council, where she outlined Bangladesh’s democratic transition, economic openness and pragmatic foreign policy.
She emphasised the expanding Bangladesh–US partnership in trade, energy, technology and education, while reaffirming Bangladesh’s vision for regional stability and constructive engagement with neighbours.
Following the discussion, she held talks with Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Jenna Ben‑Yehuda, reiterating Bangladesh’s commitment to constitutional democracy, inclusive development, women’s empowerment, minority rights and regional stability.
The state minister also stressed the importance of sustaining international attention on the Rohingya crisis and called for greater engagement by leading US policy institutions in fostering a balanced and objective understanding of Bangladesh globally.
Officials from the Bangladesh Embassy, the State Department, IRI and Atlantic Council assisted in the events.
