The new US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai
Biswal will meet the Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia during her
visit to Bangladesh.She will meet Khaleda Zia at 8.15pm on Sunday (Nov 17), said BNP Vice
President and former foreign secretary Shamser Mobin Chowdhury on
Thursday.
Biswal sought an appointment from the Opposition Leader.
Asked about the meeting’s agenda, Shamser said he was not aware of it
since it was US that showed interest for the meeting.
Political analysts think Biswal’s visit might play a vital role in
making the two major parties — the ruling Awami League and the
Opposition BNP —- hold a dialogue to break the ongoing political
stalemate over the upcoming polls.
The US has long been asking both the parties to reach to an
understanding through talks.
Biswal’s visit comes against the backdrop of a rising political
violence over the nature of an interim government to oversee the
polls.
It will be her first visit to the country after she became the first
official of South Asian origin to hold such a high position in the US
State Department.
She replaced Robert Blake on Oct 21.
Biswal will arrive in Bangladesh on Nov 16 after her visit to Japan.
According to the US state department, Biswal will discuss shared
global, regional, and bilateral priorities with the government,
opposition, labour, and civil society leaders.
The US GSP issue and the state of the ready-made garment industries
are likely to figure in her discussions, besides the key issue of
political transition.
According to foreign ministry a meeting with the Foreign Minister Dipu
Moni has been scheduled on Nov 17.
She is also expected to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
She will also meet labour groups and civil society representatives,
apart from government officials, and political leaders.
According to the US state department, Biswal served from Sept 2010 as
Assistant Administrator for Asia at USAID.
She oversaw $1.2 billion in assistance to 22 countries from Central
Asia to the Pacific Islands and managed a bureau and overseas staff of
over 1200 development professionals.
She also worked for the House Appropriations Committee Foreign
Operations Subcommittee (HACFO) In the House of Representatives, and
as professional staff in the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC),
where she was responsible for South Asia.
–bdnews24.com
