Daily Bangla Times: National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, has said the US would let the Indian government speak for its bilateral relations with Bangladesh. 

"I think we’d let the Indian Government speak for its bilateral relations with Bangladesh... We have already made clear our desire to free and fair elections in Bangladesh, Kirby said while responding to a question at a briefing on the upcoming state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

He also said, "We adapted our visa policy to restrict travel to individuals who undermine Bangladeshi elections. So, I can only speak for ourselves... We’ve been pretty public about that, but we would let the Indian Government talk about their bilateral relations." 

Replying to another question, Mr Kirby said, "It is commonplace and consistent for President Biden to raise concerns over human rights wherever he goes around the world and whatever leaders he’s speaking to.  Human rights are a foundational element of this administration’s foreign policy, and you can certainly expect that the President will – as he always does and as you can do with friends and partners like Prime Minister Modi in India – raise our concerns about that."  

According to the briefing, this is a big week here at the White House, as the President and First Lady welcome the prime minister of India for an official state visit and dinner.  

This visit will affirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together.  The visit will strengthen our two countries’ shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific and our shared resolve to elevate our strategic technology partnership, including in defense, clean energy, and space. 

The leaders will discuss ways to further expand our educational exchanges and people-to-people ties, as well as our work together to confront common challenges, from climate change to workforce development and health security.  As the world’s oldest and largest democracies and as key net security providers in the Indo-Pacific, the United States and India are increasingly partners of first resort as a combined force for global good.