Diplomatic Correspondent | Deshi Tribune Dhaka
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur is holding a series of high-level meetings in Dhaka aimed at strengthening Bangladesh–United States relations.
On Wednesday morning, Kapur arrived at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly before 9:00 a.m., where he first met with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam. He is also scheduled to hold discussions with Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman later in the day.
According to officials, Kapur’s meetings will extend beyond the foreign ministry. He is expected to meet Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud at the Secretariat. In the evening, he is scheduled to engage in discussions with business leaders.
Kapur arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday night for a two-day official visit. Diplomatic sources describe the trip as significant, noting that it marks the first high-level visit to Bangladesh by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump following the start of his second term in office. It is also the first such visit since the formation of the new BNP-led government after the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh.
According to a draft itinerary, on the final day of his visit, Thursday, Kapur will meet with leaders of various political parties. He is also expected to pay a courtesy call on the Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Humayun Kabir, and attend an iftar reception hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is scheduled to depart Dhaka later that night.
Officials say the visit underscores continued engagement between Dhaka and Washington on diplomatic, economic and strategic matters.
