US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman has discussed the safety and security of US embassy personnel in Dhaka with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam.
Department of State spokesman Ned Price said in a statement Sherman and Shahriar also discussed strengthening US-Bangladesh relations and the importance of holding free and fair elections during a phone call on Thursday.
The foreign ministry said in a statement they discussed the issues of mutual priorities in the bilateral relations.
Among others, they discussed the issues of mutual commitment to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Shahriar reaffirmed that Bangladesh is fully committed to ensuring security and safety of the diplomatic community in Bangladesh. He said the ambassadors would “continue to receive adequate security details, as always”.
He also said the ambassadors “need to understand the political history of Bangladesh before making any public statement”.
The US Embassy in Dhaka earlier this week said it raised security concerns with the highest levels of the Bangladesh government and the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington after Ambassador Peter Haas faced a demonstration by the families of servicemen who disappeared under BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s regime.
The embassy spokesperson said security concerns forced the US ambassador to cut short his prescheduled meeting on Dec 14 with Maayer Daak or A Mother’s Call, an organisation of families of people who have disappeared in recent years under the Awami League government.