Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal at her meeting with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Friday said her country wants to see strong democracies in the South Asian countries for the continuation of socio-economic progress in the region."She reiterated what she actually told the Sarrc summit that the democratic process has to be consolidated further in the South Asia to maintain socio-economic assistance and advancement in the region," BNP vice chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told reporters after the meeting.
She also said a strong democratic process is necessary in the region so that the economic cooperation and democracy can move together, he added.
Mobin, however, did not say anything whether Biswal said anything about democratic process in Bangladesh.
The BNP vice chairman who was present at the meeting said the issues relating to the mutual interests of the two countries were mainly discussed at the hour-long parley.
Khaleda and the US Assistant Secretary elaborately discussed the warm ties between the US and BNP’s previous government.
The BNP chief focused on how the friendly relations with the US can be bolstered further, Mobin told the journalists.
She also lauded the US role in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) for the betterment of the region.
Mobin said Khaleda also hoped that the US will continue its assistance to Bangladesh’s socio-economic development and political process as it did in the past.
He, however, parried questions whether they had discussion with Biswal about the January-5 election and midterm polls, saying “no question, please”.
The meeting that started around 6:10 pm at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan residence ended around 7:08pm.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, chairperson's advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena were, among others, present at the meeting.
Biswal also had a meeting with Khaleda during her earlier visit to Bangladesh before the January-5 election last year.
This is Biswal’s second visit to Bangladesh as she had been here soon after taking over as the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs on October 21, 2013.
UNB/ZA