Staff Reporter:
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman yesterday said that Bangladesh has no secret agreement with the United States, adding that whatever agreements exist have already been made public.
“There is no secret agreement with the United States; whatever agreements exist have already been made public,” he told reporters at secretariat.
The Foreign Minister along with Prime Minister’s Adviser for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kabir were pre-sent when US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the secretariat.
Dr Rahman claimed that Bangladesh needs permission from the United States to import oil under any such agreement is “completely false.”
He explained that sanctions on Russian oil apply globally, and any required approvals stem from those sanctions not from any trade agreement between Bangladesh and the US.
The foreign minister also said there are no binding obligations regarding energy imports.
He noted that yesterday’s discussions covered broader bilateral relations, particularly cooperation in en-ergy, trade, and development.
On energy cooperation, the minister said while some aspects could not be disclosed due to confidentiali-ty, he said the United States assured support to help ensure Bangladesh’s energy security.
Responding to a question about whether the US could assist Bangladesh in tackling the current energy situation, he said the government is exploring multiple sources for energy imports and will procure oil from the most cost-effective options.
India, the Middle East, and the United States remain open alternatives, he added.
He said that the government’s priority is to maintain a stable energy supply and ensure national energy security by sourcing fuel from the most competitive and affordable options in the global market.
Regarding the Prime Minister’s potential foreign visits, the minister said the matter is still at a prelimi-nary stage, with no specific destination finalized.
During the call on with the Prime Minister, the US ambassador handed over two photographs and a rep-lica of the White House to the Prime Minister.
One photograph features Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former US President Jimmy Carter, while the other shows former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and former US President George Bush Sr.
