The 'Deep State' is always busy doing something deeper in South Asia.
U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor concluded a three-day official visit to Bangladesh from July 30 to August 1, 2026.
The visit featured high-level talks with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, a trip to Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, and an announcement downgrading the U.S. travel advisory for Bangladesh from Level 3 to Level 2.
Sergio Gor has been the third senior US official from Washington to visit Bangladesh since the BNP-led government assumed office in February.
"I called on the Honorable Prime Minister @trahmanbnp to discuss the great opportunities between the US and Bangladesh to strengthen economic cooperation and enhance our partnership. This is a priority for the United States, and working together we can achieve real results," Gor said on X.
The timing of the visit around Aug 1 was crucial. Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is likely to announce her programme for possible return home. She has in fact indicated earlier that by year end, she could land in Dhaka.
The Awami League is still banned in Bangladesh.
Did the US official's visit also dealt with Hasina's proposed return journey is still not clear. The US was keen for a bigger role around Bangladesh essentially to counter China and even India to a large extent.
Bangladesh Prime Minister's Office said both US and the Tariqe Rahman Govt have discussed "bilateral relations, expansion of trade and investment, regional cooperation and other areas of mutual interest."
A political leader from Gujarat and who can speak Bangla, Dinesh Trivedi's appointment as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh in June this year was welcomed by the top US diplomat and close aide of US President Donald Trump.
Trivedi has met US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy to South and Central Asia Sergio Gor in Dhaka.
The meeting assumed diplomatic significance given the varied interests of both India and US in the region. Both are key members of QUAD and the platform has suffered allegations of compromising its influence in the recent past.
Bangladesh's foreign minister, Dr Khalilur Rahman, described Gor's visit as "exploratory" and said the US envoy would seek a broader understanding of Bangladesh during the trip, when he will also visit Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazaar.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also met Rahman on Wednesday on the margins of the ASEAN Regional Forum foreign ministers' meeting in Manila, Philippines.
The United States is the largest international contributor to the Rohingya humanitarian response alongside Japan, Australia, Norway and institutional bodies like the European Union.
The US has been trying to establish a humanitarian corridor into Myanmar's Rakhine State, but that plan has not materialised due to objections from Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman.
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