`US to work with BD to fight terrorism`

Staff Correspondent: The United States said it would work together with Bangladesh to fight terrorism and reiterated its offer to provide experts to this end.

 

"We would fight with Bangladesh to combat terrorism ... we have enough experts in this regard and we could help Bangladesh by giving these experts," US Secretary of State John Kerry said when he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office on Monday noon.

 

After the meeting, PM`s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

 

He said the one-hour meeting was held in a very cordial and warm atmosphere where the entire gamut of bilateral relations was reviewed.

 

Kerry also expressed the US interest to work closely with intelligence agencies of Bangladesh to fight terrorism. "We need to exchange information to combat terrorism," he said.

 

Highly praising Bangladesh`s tremendous development in socioeconomic progress, he said Bangladesh has been doing "brilliantly" in the sector. "We have partnered with Bangladesh in its economic progress and other issues," he said.

 

The US secretary of state also showed his country`s eagerness to work closely with Bangladesh in other sectors like climate, health and energy.

 

While talking about the ongoing anti-IS drive in the Middle East, he said the IS has been cornered in the region due to the operation and many IS terrorists are now returning home on the face of the attack.

 

When the premier recalled the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members in 1975 and requested the USA to extradite Bangabandhu`s killers living in the United States, the US secretary of state said he understands the concern of Sheikh Hasina.

 

"The issue (of extradition) is under review by the US government," he said.

 

When the premier wanted to know the source of money of the IS terrorist outfit, the US secretary of state said the group is earning money by selling oil from the fields that it captured and imposing levy on the general people of the IS-dominated regions.

 

About his visit to the historic Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 in the capital, Kerry said he was really impressed to see the historical evidence in the house.

 

In reply, the premier apprised Kerry of the history of the Bangabandhu Bhaban that was the centre of all the struggles for Bangladesh`s independence.

 

Sheikh Hasina sought information from the United States to capture the terrorists. "We want to get information from the United States in nabbing the terrorists since the USA has technological advancement. It would help arrest the terrorists and there should be reciprocity or two way traffic in this regard," she said.

 

The premier said that terrorism is now a global problem, and the government is working to create mass awareness against this social menace. "The people are cooperating with us and religious leaders are also involved in the issue. As a result, mass awareness has been created against the social menace," she said.

 

Sheikh Hasina also said that she had already arranged video conferences with the cross section of people of the 64 districts of the country to mobilize public opinion against terrorism and militancy. Regarding the recent trend of terrorism, she said it`s a matter of surprise that the children of wealthy families are being involved in such crimes.

 

"The youths of the well-off families have everything ... but they are getting involved in the crimes as their parents are not giving proper attention to them," she said.

 

In reply, Kerry said that the children of rich families play video games full of violence when their parents go out of their house.

 

The prime minister sought again duty-and-quota-free access of all Bangladeshi products except arms to the US market.

 

Pointing out the investment-friendly atmosphere that her government ensured in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina sought more US investment in Bangladesh.

 

Mentioning Bangladesh`s foreign policy "Friendship to all and malice to none", Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on maintaining good relations with all the countries.

 

The main focus of her government is to develop the country, she said while highlighting its stunning success in different sectors like food security, women empowerment, education and poverty alleviation. "The rate of poverty came down to 22 percent from 57 percent thanks to various steps of our government," she said.

 

The prime minister said her government made open the private sector in all fields and such initiative created huge opportunity for employment of the educated youth. "It was a US company which made private sector investment first in Bangladesh`s power sector," she said.

 

Terming the US-Bangladesh relations as wonderful, Sheikh Hasina said the ties would be further consolidated in the days to come.

 

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Prime Minister`s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal, Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum and US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat were present, among others.

 

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 29, 2016/NR/A K Azad/Amirul