report in Dhaka Tribune, Aug 10, 2023
Representatives of the US Congress Ed Case and Richard McCormick are coming to Dhaka on Saturday for a four-day visit.
Foreign Minister Dr Ak Abdul Momen confirmed the visit to Dhaka Tribune.
“We welcome the visit,” he said, adding that: “The Biden administration is sending delegations one after another to strengthen our bilateral relations. This is a good sign.”
Ed Case is a Democrat representative from Hawaii. Richard McCormick is a Republican representative from Georgia.
The foreign minister said the visit would be focused on the Rohingya situation since the US is a big donor to the refugees who have taken shelter in Cox’s Bazar fleeing “ethnic cleansing: in Myanmar.
“So far, I know they will go to Cox’s Bazar to visit Rohingya camps after arrival. Before leaving Dhaka, they will meet me,” he said.
The visit comes ahead of the general elections in which the US is interested. The Biden administration announced a policy to restrict visas for those who would stand in the way of holding free and fair elections scheduled to be held by January.
The two Congressmen will also meet the political leaders from both the ruling Awami League and the opposition, officials who have knowledge about the visit said.
Earlier, in a letter six members of the US Congress urged President Joe Biden to intervene in Bangladesh’s election process. In another letter, 14 congressmen asked Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN, asking for measures against the government ahead of the country’s general election.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/foreign-affairs/322100/two-us-congress-members-to-visit-bangladesh
