Biden's chats with PM marks good US-Bangladesh ties: Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said that US President Joe Biden's warm and cordial chats with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina marked a deep-rooted good relationship between Dhaka and Washington.

"He (Biden) has all the intentions to build good relations with Bangladesh," the foreign minister said in a media briefing last night on the Bangladesh premier's daily engagements in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived here on September 8 to attend the G-20 Summit at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

During the media briefing, Momen said Biden earlier remarked that "America has a very beautiful relation with Bangladesh in the last 50 years and it will be further strengthened and solid in the next 50 years. Today, we have seen the sample of it."

Replying to a query, Momen said, "It (talks among Biden, Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana and Saima Wazed on two separate occasions including in dinner in a very cordial environment) is the evidence that we have a deep and solid relation with Washington and we will further strengthen it in future."

He said the US is very keen to further consolidate the relationship with Bangladesh, for which they are sending their people and holding talks.

"They (American government) are not putting any pressure on us rather the media exaggerates," he said.

In a reply to another question, the foreign minister said Joe Biden, Sheikh Hasina and the PM’s daughter Saima Wazed had talks for 15 minutes at Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition Centre at Pragati Maidan in the Indian capital on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit.

"When our prime minister was talking to President Biden, he was very happy and fully enthusiastic and the discussion took place in a very cordial and warm environment," he said.

As the Bangladesh premier and her daughter were talking to Biden, PM's Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin took out his cell phone to take a picture of that moment, he added.

"President Biden took a selfie with his cell phone as well," Momen also said.

/KN/