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Sergio Gor, the U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, has stated that the United States has full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He also commented that Bangladesh is ready for new American investment.
He announced that he would convey this message to investors in his country. On Saturday (August 1) at 9:30 AM, Sergio Gor met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the meeting, Sergio Gor noted that the U.S. government has full confidence in the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He added that stability has returned to Bangladesh under his leadership.
As a testament to this confidence, the U.S. has positively revised its existing travel advisory for Bangladesh. Gor further stated that this move will send a strong message to American investors that Bangladesh is now fully prepared for new investments.
The bilateral meeting also included detailed discussions on the Rohingya crisis. During this time, the special envoy shared his experience of visiting the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar the previous day, stating that the contributions of the Bangladesh government and its people in providing humanitarian assistance and shelter to millions of displaced Rohingyas are commendable.
The Prime Minister noted that more than half of the international assistance received for the Rohingyas comes directly from the United States. The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the U.S. government and its people for this continued support. The U.S. special envoy also emphasized the need for a long-term and sustainable political solution to the Rohingya crisis.
The statement also mentioned that both parties agreed to resume food and drug quality control testing activities in Bangladesh with the cooperation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
During the meeting, the Prime Minister called for increased American investment in Bangladesh. He specifically requested U.S. investment in the warehousing and storage construction of soybeans, cotton, wheat, and other agricultural products. The Prime Minister stated that investment in these sectors could establish a robust and competitive supply chain. He also highlighted Bangladesh’s keen interest in attracting significant U.S. investment in the information technology (IT) sector.
Mentioning Bangladesh’s immense potential in the IT sector, the U.S. special envoy stated that Bangladesh could become an important partner in the future for “Pax Silica,” an international IT-based initiative.
Among others present at this high-level meeting were Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Advisor for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam, Prime Minister’s Advisors Rehan Asif Asad and Mahdi Amin, Bangladesh Ambassador to Washington Tareque Md. Ariful Islam, and U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen, along with other senior officials from both countries.
