US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal is likely to arrive here on a three-day visit on November 16, says a Bangladesh government foreign Ministry source.Biswal was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary on October 21 replacing Robert O Blake. The Foreign Affairs Ministry in Dhaka is however is yet to be officially informed about the visit.
If Biswal’s visit is confirmed, according to the source, she will meet the representatives of the two major political parties – Awami League and BNP — to discuss political issues.
The US has been urging both the parties to reach a consensus through a peaceful dialogue for holding free, fair and credible elections.
On Tuesday, US Representative Steve Chabot said both the major political parties in Bangladesh should spearhead their campaigns peacefully ahead of the next general election and speak the truth.
“…so both sides should spearhead campaigns and speak the truth and whoever wins, wins but absolutely no violence should ever occur. I’ll strongly urge both sides to be peaceful,” he told reporters.
Biswal served from September 2010 as Assistant Administrator for Asia at USAID, according to the US Department of State.
