DHAKA, April 4, 2022 (BSS) - United States (US) Ambassador here Peter Hass
has said Bangladesh can count on the US partnership for decades to come to
accomplish the shared goals between the two nations.

"Through its remarkable first five decades of independence, I like to think
that Bangladesh has found no better partner than the United States," he said
marking 50-year anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the
two democratic nations today.
 
"And we intend to build upon that partnership over the next 50 years," he
added.

Haas mentioned that the United States and people of Bangladesh want the same
things: a vibrant, secure, and prosperous democracy, judicial accountability
and basic human rights for everyone.

"Our two countries are peers ... Bangladesh can count on our partnership for
decades to come to accomplish these shared goals," the envoy said, adding
that Bangladesh's transformation over the past 50 years has been stunning.

The ambassador recalled that the country emerged from the dark days of its
Liberation War as an independent, sovereign nation while its economy was
shattered, infrastructure destroyed, and countless of its best minds had been
murdered.
 
He said many thought Bangladesh would never be able to thrive on its own and
it would be forever dependent on the assistance of others.

"Those days are long gone. Today, Bangladesh is widely admired as a success
story," Hass said.
 
He lauded drive, resourcefulness and innovation of the Bangladeshi people as
the country has made rapid improvements in health and literacy, achieved 100
percent electrification and became one of the world's fastest growing
economies.

Indeed, he said, Bangladesh would soon graduate into middle-income status, a
remarkable accomplishment.

Besides, the American envoy said, Bangladesh now lends a helping hand to its
neighbors as it stepped in to support Sri Lanka during its cash crisis and
provided COVID assistance to the Maldives.

"While development assistance is still important (for Bangladesh), our
economic relationship is increasingly about trade, not aid," he said, adding
that the US is Bangladesh's largest export destination, and more and more
American corporations now identify Bangladesh among their most important
trade and investment partners.

Recalling the US assistance to Bangladesh after its Liberation War in 1971,
Haas said, "Since we first clasped our hands in friendship on this date in
1972, the United States has provided more than US$8 billion in development
assistance."

The US has partnered with the people of Bangladesh to save lives following
deadly cyclones, combat terrorism and human trafficking and help people to
lead healthier and more prosperous lives, he added.

Most recently, the ambassador said, the US provided more than 61 million
COVID-19 vaccines to assist Bangladesh for its efforts to combat this
pandemic.

"Bangladesh is the largest recipient of US-donated vaccines worldwide. That's
what friends do," he continued.

As the largest contributor of UN peacekeeping forces, he said Bangladesh
plays a critical role in ensuring peace around the globe.

Besides, the envoy said Bangladesh, as one of the world's most vulnerable
nations to the effects of climate change, has emerged as a powerful voice in
urging major emitting countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
 
The US and Bangladesh have a common historical experience as both the
countries fought bloody wars for independence, united by a fervent belief in
democracy, and have learned that democracy is a process, not an end state, he
said.
 
In the US, Haas mentioned that people have witnessed unspeakable acts of
violence and racism while Americans are confronting these issues openly,
honestly, and sometimes noisily in an effort to hold people accountable and
to effect real change.

"Many in Bangladesh are doing the same, and we applaud their courage," the
ambassador added.