The United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Paul Kapur, held meetings with Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and State Minister Shama Obaed this morning, marking the start of his two-day visit to Dhaka.
His trip is the first to Bangladesh by a high-level US official since the BNP government came to power.
Kapur arrived in the capital last night following a three-day trip in India.
During his stay, Kapur is scheduled to hold talks with Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir.
 
In the evening, he will meet a business delegation and attend a dinner.
Tomorrow, the US official is set to meet leaders of various political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Later in the day, he will meet the Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Humayun Kabir.
Kapur will also pay tribute at the graves of late president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia tomorrow.