US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat on Wednesday said the US government doesn't back any particular political party in Bangladesh rather it loves to work with all Bangladeshis to ensure a more inclusive political process here.
Bernicat joined a Facebook chat on the Bangladesh-US relationship marking the second anniversary of her arrival in the country.
Bernicat said the US is an enthusiastic supporter of the democratic process and works with the governments and people around the world, including Bangladesh, to help strengthen that process.
Responding to a question on restoration of US trade preference programme - Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), she said there has been tremendous progress on safety issues. But much work remains to be done on workers' rights.
Bernicat said, "We will need to wait and see what the new Trump Administration's position will be on the GSP and trade in general."
According to her, over 6500 Bangladeshi students studying in US schools currently.
"Tourism is the second largest industry in the US, so we welcome visitors of all kinds and from all countries." Regarding visas, she said in fact thousands of Bangladeshis receive visas every year.
The US Ambassador said there are many factors both positive and negative that shape migration around the globe, such as climate change, family ties, economic opportunity, political violence and terrorism.
While responding a question on terrorism the US ambassador said, "I'm confident that the nature of the Bangladeshi people and their culture, coupled with the government's resolve to fight terrorism, will defeat the terrorist threat here."
She said trust, will and mechanisms in place always help resolve any irritants if these arise in a relationship.
Irritants can always arise in a relationship. The key is to have the trust, will and mechanisms in place to ensure they can be resolved. I think our two countries have what we need to do just that she said while responding to a question.
She mentioned that the US does an amazing amount of work with NGO and government partners for the citizens in Bangladesh, especially through their many development projects.
Bernicat said the past two years have been challenging and enjoyable and she looks forward to what the next year will offer.
She said the US government has been a strong proponent for human rights everywhere in the world, including Myanmar.
"US urges the government of Myanmar on a regular basis to respect the rights of religious and ethnic minority groups and calls for improvements to their freedom of movement, access to social services, access to livelihoods and fair treatment under the law when they are subject to abuses," she added.
"It is partially true that every president, regardless of party affiliation, asks those ambassadors who are political appointees of their predecessors to step down," she said when asked whether President Donald Trump will withdraw all ambassadors appointed by the then Obama Administration. The US ambassador said the two thirds of US Ambassadors who are career foreign service officers will continue their jobs with the new administration.
Two thirds of ambassadors who are career foreign service officers such as myself, usually stay, according to her.
