US special envoy to visit Dhaka on Thursday

US Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gor will arrive in Dhaka on Thursday for a three-day official visit, marking the first high-level visit by a US special envoy since the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) formed the government following its landslide victory in the February 12 parliamentary election.

The visit comes at a significant time in Bangladesh-US relations, particularly after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit to China, and is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation and discussing key regional and strategic issues.

According to officials, Sergio Gor, a close associate of US President Donald Trump who also serves as the US ambassador to India, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, leaders of political parties and representatives of civil society during his stay in Dhaka.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam expressed optimism over the visit, saying relations between Bangladesh and the United States have remained strong and are becoming even stronger under the current government. She hoped the visit would add a new dimension to bilateral ties.

Foreign Ministry officials said discussions are expected to cover Bangladesh-US relations, regional security, the Indo-Pacific, economic cooperation and other issues of mutual interest.

The two sides are also expected to discuss the long-pending General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), which have remained under negotiation for nearly a decade.