BD-US relations will be stronger based on environment and climate actions: Saber Chowdhury

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury said the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States will be stronger in the coming days based on the environment and climate actions.

"These are priority areas for the United States, so the United States wants to cooperate with us in programs to combat climate change," he said.  

Saber said this to the media after Afreen Akhter, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs at the US Department of State, held a productive meeting with him Sunday at his office in the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The minister said, "We talked about how they will cooperate in meeting our needs in the light of environment and climate change."

"We want to establish a new platform by forming a fund of 15 billion dollars to combat climate change.  All our development partners can help there.  I am optimistic, that America will be too.  The minister said they will keep our needs in mind in the US plan. We discussed how Bangladesh-US relations can be further strengthened in the future," he added. 

The discussions underscored the importance of collaborative efforts between the United States and Bangladesh in addressing environmental challenges, tackling climate change, preserving natural resources, and promoting sustainable development. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to working together to address environmental challenges and ensure a sustainable benefit for present and future generations of the region.

In attendance were distinguished representatives including Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States of America Muhammad Imran,  Helen LaFave, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Bangladesh; Michael Schiffer, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Asia at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Alla Kamins, Deputy Director at the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Nuclear Security and Non-proliferation; Hailey Becker, Acting Chief of Staff for the Bureau for Asia at USAID; Reed Aeschliman, Mission Director of USAID Bangladesh; and Bronwyn Llewellyn, Natural Resources Officer at USAID Bangladesh.