US expects Bangladesh, India to resolve Hasina issue

The United States expects Bangladesh and India to resolve the issue surrounding former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through discussions, while Washington has not taken a specific position on what should happen to her, a US State Department official said.

The official made the remarks during an on-background briefing at the Foreign Press Center in New York on Wednesday on US policy in support of a stable, prosperous and sovereign South Asia.

Asked about the US position on Sheikh Hasina, the official said Washington had not taken a formal position on the matter. The official said the issue had become a major source of tension between India and Bangladesh and expressed hope that the two countries would discuss it and reach a solution.

The official also said the United States did not want to comment on Bangladesh’s domestic politics. Asked specifically about lifting restrictions on the activities of the Awami League, the official said the decision would have to be taken by the Bangladesh government.

The official said Washington wanted to continue working with the elected government and support efforts to make Bangladesh stronger, safer and more prosperous.

The briefing also covered Bangladesh’s relations with the United States, India and China. Asked how Bangladesh could maintain relations with all three major powers without choosing one over another, the official said the US wanted to provide an alternative and was not asking Bangladesh to choose between countries.

Asked whether US President Donald Trump could meet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in New York, the official said they could not comment on the president’s schedule. The official noted that Trump had briefly met Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman during the week and that they had also taken a photograph together.

The briefing was preceded by remarks from Bethany Poulos Morrison, Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, on the situation in South Asia and the Trump administration’s policy toward the region.

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