Nisha Desai Biswal arrives in Dhaka to discuss terror attacks

The US point person for South Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal, has arrived in Dhaka to discuss the issues of counter terrorism and violent extremism following the Gulshan and Sholakia terror attacks.

Seventeen foreigners and an American citizen of Bangladesh origin were among the victims of the Gulshan cafe attack which was reportedly claimed by the Islamic State (IS).

The assistant secretary of state for south and central asian affairs, Biswal, on her arrival on Sunday would meet Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali.

She would also meet with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, among others, during her two-day visit, officials told bdnews24.com.

Earlier, the state department said Biswal would be in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka this week.

While in Dhaka, she will meet with government officials to discuss “issues of shared concern” and offer US assistance to the Bangladeshi government’s efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism.

She will also meet with the embassy community, local business, and other diplomatic representatives.

Biswal will then travel to Colombo where she will meet with senior government officials and political leaders to discuss bilateral economic cooperation as well as democratic governance and reconciliation.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asia Manpreet Singh Anand is accompanying her.

Biswal, earlier, visited Dhaka in May following the killing of a US embassy staff, Xulhaz Mannan, who was a leading campaigner for LGBT rights.