US urged to recognise Bangladesh's improvement on labour, HR issues

Bangladesh has urged the United States (US) to recognise its continuous improvements in labour and human rights situations.

This was stated while Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, MP, met US Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer at the White House in Washington, DC on Friday, said a press release, issued by the Bangladesh mission in the US, received here today.

During the meeting, Finer, who also serves as the Assistant to the US President and a key official of the Biden administration, expressed Washington's willingness to work more closely with the Bangladesh government on governance, labour and human rights issues.

While expressing a similar interest to work with the US government, Rahman stressed that the US and other development partners should duly recognize measures already undertaken by the Bangladesh government for the continuous improvements of labour and human rights in the country.

Recent US sanction on RAB and its senior officials was also discussed at the meeting and the PM's adviser requested the US government to lift the sanctions as soon as possible.

He drew the attention of Finer about Bangabandhu's self-confessed killer Rashed Chowdhury, currently staying in the USA, and sought their assistance for his early deportation to Bangladesh.

Rahman briefed Finer about Bangladesh's tremendous success in socioeconomic and human development in the last 14 years under the prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and thanked the US for its support to these achievements.

He also thanked the US for providing humanitarian assistance and political support for the Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh.

Finer acknowledged Bangladesh's extraordinary economic growth in recent years and commended the country for its generosity to host over a million Rohingya population.