Dhaka -The U.S. and Bangladesh on Monday agreed to scale up security cooperation to fight violent extremism.
The agreement reached when the U.S. Secretary of the State, John Kerry met with the senior officials and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“We, today, agreed on additional steps by which our intelligence and law enforcements will work together in order to try to get ahead of extremism,” Kerry told reporters after the meeting.
Kerry arrived in Dhaka on a nine-hour visit to hold meetings with government officials, opposition leaders and civic representatives.
The meeting was held nearly a month after Islamist militants killed at least 20 civilians including 17 foreigners at a restaurant in the capital.
The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the July 1 attack.
However, the government said a home-grown group which it had outlawed in 2005 – Jumatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh – was behind it.
The top U.S. diplomat referred to the July 1 cafe attack and said it was an outrage clearly “designed to divide Bangladesh, designed to try to cut off this welcoming society from the outside world.”
He said that the U.S. was working very closely with Bangladesh and other partners to defeat vicious terrorist networks, particularly those of Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abul Mahmood Ali said that he had a candid discussion with his U.S. counterpart on issues related to all bilateral issues, including security concerns.
In addition to official talks with Ali, Kerry also met with former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a number of civic leaders during his brief stay. (dpa/NAN)