The United States president Joe Biden offered his country鈥檚 full support to professor Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh during his bilateral meeting with the chief adviser on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Chief adviser professor Yunus held the meeting with the US president on Tuesday morning (NY local time).
The meeting with the US president reflected growing relations between the two countries. It would help take the existing good relations to a new level between the two countries, Bangladesh said.
鈥楾his is an important day. It is very rare [to see such a meeting] at the UNGA,鈥� chief adviser鈥檚 press secretary Shafiqul Alam said.
He said that Bangladesh, in any case, maintained very good relations with the US and with the meeting the relationship would reach a new level.
鈥業t鈥檚 a good news that the US stands beside Bangladesh in this period of transition,鈥� Shafiqul added.
Bangladesh and the US are working on a number of issues closely, including labour sector reforms and the Rohingya crisis.
鈥業t is very significant as no US president has held a bilateral meeting with any Bangladesh head of government in the past decades in New York,鈥� a senior official said.
Although that gives them little time to discuss anything in depth, there is tremendous messaging and symbolism associated with it.
By having this meeting at all, Washington is signalling not just bilaterally or regionally, but to the world at large that it is standing by Bangladesh during the period of upheaval it is going through.
It is not usual for a US president to hold bilateral meetings during the UNGA and Dhaka hopes to see a new strategic partnership emerge out of the meeting that will strengthen the ties with the US on all fronts.
Biden is visiting New York City to participate in the 79th session of the UNGA.
In addition to addressing the general assembly on Tuesday, president Biden met with world leaders to discuss cooperation in tackling threats to international peace and security, advancing global prosperity, and protecting human rights, said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The US has already affirmed their dedication to fostering inclusive economic growth, institution building, and development to benefit the people of Bangladesh.
As Bangladesh looks to chart a more equitable and inclusive future, the US said that it stood ready to support those efforts.
This is Yunus鈥檚 first visit to the United States as a head of government. It is also his first visit abroad since the formation of the interim government on August 8.
