US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur held a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman in Dhaka on Wednesday morning. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during Kapur’s official visit to Bangladesh. Earlier, he met with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid, and later in the day he was scheduled to meet Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud. Kapur was also expected to attend a dinner and exchange views with business representatives.

According to officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit will cover bilateral and geopolitical issues, including the implementation of a recently signed trade agreement and discussions on a proposed security pact. The visit follows a congratulatory message from US President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman emphasizing trade and defense cooperation. Kapur is accompanied by Laura Anderson, Senior Economic Adviser at the US Department of State.

The United States seeks to finalize two defense agreements, GSOMIA and ACSA, with Bangladesh, with talks on GSOMIA reportedly progressing. The visit may also address the repatriation of undocumented Bangladeshis from the US.