Dhaka, Apr 9 (bdnews24.com) – The first-ever Bangladesh-US security dialogue will discuss defence cooperation, security and military assistance issues.
"We have great military relationship," US ambassador Dan Mozena told bdnews24.com after the announcement of $40-million USAID assistance project at the ERD Monday.
The dialogue will be held on Apr 19 and US State Department assistant secretary on military and security Andrew Shapiro will lead a 10-member delegation, he said.
"In the day-long dialogue, we will talk about military cooperation, security, assistance and disaster management," the US envoy said.
"This year it is happening in Dhaka and I hope next year it would be in Washington," Mozena said adding, "It is a review of military-to-military (mil-mil) relationship."
Mozena said the US is helping Bangladesh in increasing its security capability.
US under secretary Wendy Sherman after a meeting with foreign minister Dipu Moni on Apr 6 said the US government would engage in security dialogue with Bangladesh.
Last month, in an interview with bdnews24.com, lieutenant general Francis J Wiercinski, commanding general of US Army Pacific Command, had said the United States wants to build a strong army-to-army relationship with Bangladesh to cooperate with each other.
Wiercinski had also said Army chief general Md Abdul Mubeen also offered him jungle training for the US soldiers.
Joint commission
The US ambassador said joint commission meeting at the level of foreign ministers is a 'wonderful idea' where overarching issues can be discussed.
"It will give a strategic direction to our relationship."
Foreign minister Dipu Moni during her meeting with Sherman proposed for joint commission meeting and asked for annual review of the relationship.
Mozena said: "The Apr 19 meeting will focus on only one issue. But in the joint commission meeting we can discuss entire range of issues," he explained.
"Once a year we can sit together and ask are we happy with the mil-mil relationship, or are we happy with the trade relationship," he added.
"Our relationship has many facets and this joint commission can discuss the entire range of issues," Mozena expressed hope.
Dhaka-US security talks to focus defence coop | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com