Dhaka – Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal had a meeting with diplomats from the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada on Monday morning and discussed the current situation in Bangladesh after successive attacks on Dhaka café and near Sholakia Eidgah in Kishorganj district, UNB news agency reported.The meeting was held at the residence of US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat. It lasted over an hour and focused on security issues.
The High Commissioners of the three countries came out from Bernicat’s residence at 9:45am after the meeting, said a diplomatic source.
Bernicat and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Manpreet Anand were also present at the meeting.
Biswal is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at 5pm Monday after her meeting with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan at 3pm, officials at Prime Minister’s Office and Secretariat confirmed.
The US official is also expected to meet Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi.
On Sunday, she met Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque at state guesthouse Padma and discussed Bangladesh’s bilateral relations with the United States and the security situation.
In the evening, Biswal had a long meeting with Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla.
Biswal arrived in Dhaka on Sunday morning on a two-day visit.
She had visited Dhaka on May 5 and 6 last after the brutal murder of USAID staff Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka on April 25.
Twenty-two people, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian national and two policemen were killed inside and outside the café during the attack on July 1.
Later in the morning of on July 2, six people along with five attackers were also killed during a commando operation. Thirteen of the hostages were rescued alive in the operation.
On Thursday last, at least four people, including two policemen, were killed and 12 others injured in a bomb attack coupled with an exchange of gunfire after terrorists attacked a temporary police check post near Sholakia Eidgah in Sadar upazila of Kishoreganj.
