Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal on Friday asked leader of the opposition in parliament Raushan Ershad about the time-frame of next general election.

"When the next election in Bangladesh is going to take place," Nisha Desai Biswal asked Raushan Ershad.

In reply, Raushan told Biswal that the next general election in Bangladesh would be held in 'due time' and in 'usual way.'

Biswal held a meeting with Raushan at HM Ershad's Gulshan residence in the capital that started at 5.10pm and lasted till 5.40pm.

After the meeting, opposition chief whip ABM Tajul Islam briefed reporters about the meeting.

Tajul said Nisha Desai Biswal did not express any reaction to Raushan Ershad's reply about the next general election.

He said both Raushan Ershad and Nisha Desai Biswal discussed the overall situation in Bangladesh.

Quoting Nisha Biswal, Tajul said, "She wanted to know why Jatiya Party took part in the January 5 election and what would have happened if there had been no election at that time."

They also discussed about the Bangladesh's ready-made garment sector and welfare of workers.

During the meeting, senior officials of the US Embassy in Dhaka including US Ambassador Dan W Mozena were also present.

Jatiya Party leaders who were present during the meeting included ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, Fakhrul Imam, Selim Uddin, MP and Raushan Ershad's political secretary Golam Masih.

Biswal arrived in Dhaka on Thursday on a three-day visit to Bangladesh.

During the visit, she is scheduled to hold meetings with high-level government officials and labour, RMG sector and business community leaders.

This is Biswal’s second visit to Bangladesh as she had been in Dhaka soon after taking over as the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs on October 21, 2013.

Biswal also visited Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) in Gazipur on Friday morning and leave Dhaka on Saturday.

Before her arrival in Dhaka, Biswal attended the 18th Saarc Summit that ended on Thursday in Kathmandu, Nepal.