News Flash
DHAKA, Mar 4, 2026 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman today said the United States was surprised by the peaceful and festive conduct of Bangladesh’s 13th national election during his meeting with visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapur.
Talking to reporters after the meeting at the foreign ministry, Rahman said visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur remarked that the election had been more peaceful and festive than Washington had expected.
“He recalled that during my visit to Washington I had said we wanted to make the election festive. At that time they wondered whether it would really happen that way. Later they saw that it indeed turned into a festive election,” the foreign minister said.
Rahman added that the U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, who was present at the meeting, shared similar observations, saying that at some polling centres the atmosphere resembled a fair.
The foreign minister said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, secured a landslide victory in the election.
He also said the United States government conveyed its congratulations to the prime minister, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump earlier sent a congratulatory letter to Tarique Rahman following the polls.
Rahman said he briefed Kapur about the government’s “Bangladesh First” policy, highlighting Dhaka’s strategy of maintaining strong relations with regional and global partners to advance national interests and shared prosperity.
Referring to the ongoing Middle East conflict, the foreign minister said two Bangladeshi nationals had already been killed and urged an early diplomatic solution to the crisis to minimize casualties and prevent further regional instability.
Responding to questions on defence cooperation, Rahman said defence issues did not come up for discussion during the meeting, adding that the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the Acquisition Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) were not mentioned.
According to a foreign ministry statement, the meeting reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to further strengthening Bangladesh–United States bilateral relations, particularly in economic engagement, based on mutual respect and shared interests.
Kapur congratulated the new government following what he described as a peaceful, free and festive general election and expressed confidence that bilateral relations would continue to grow stronger.
He also underscored the importance of implementing the provisions of the Reciprocal Trade Agreement to enhance bilateral trade and investment.
The discussions also covered the Rohingya issue, with the foreign minister thanking the United States for its continued humanitarian support and seeking sustained international efforts for a durable solution to the crisis.
Both sides expressed optimism that regular high-level engagements and institutional dialogues would further deepen Bangladesh–U.S. relations in the coming years.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen were present at the meeting.
Earlier, Kapur held a brief meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam.
