US assistant secretary S Paul Kapur arrived in Dhaka on a two-day visit to ‘strengthen strategic ties’ between Bangladesh and the United States and explore opportunities in diverse areas on Tuesday.

‘We warmly welcome assistant secretary S Paul Kapur to Bangladesh. Assistant secretary Kapur will engage with government officials and business leaders to strengthen US-Bangladesh strategic ties,’ said the US embassy in Dhaka at night.

From March 1-3, Paul Kapur visited India and discussed regional security and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific. His visit builds upon recent momentum to advance president Trump’s vision for robust and mutually beneficial US-India partnership.

During his visit to Dhaka, Kapur will meet with new government officials and business leaders to discuss expanding bilateral trade and investment, enhancing security cooperation, and advancing shared interests in the Indo-Pacific region, said US mission spokesperson Poornima Rai on Monday.

Before Kapur’s arrival in Dhaka, US ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen had a series of courtesy meetings with the newly appointed cabinet members over the past few days highlighting the opportunities in diverse sectors.

Bangladesh’s aviation and tourism sectors are poised for growth over the next decade, and Boeing and US technology companies are the perfect partners, said the US embassy in Dhaka after the envoy’s meeting with civil aviation and tourism minister Afroza Khanam Rita.

His meeting with home minister Salahuddin Ahmed focused on strengthening their fight against illegal immigration, and deepening collaboration on security and counterterrorism.

The United States looks forward to working with the newly elected government to advance prosperity and the security of the region.

Paul Kapur was sworn in as assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs on October 22, 2025.

US president Donald J Trump has recently congratulated prime minister Tarique Rahman on his assumption of office and expressed hope for stronger defence cooperation between the two countries.

In his message to Tarique Rahman last month, president Trump said he expects the new prime minister to take decisive steps to complete the routine defence agreements that would enable Bangladesh’s military to access high-end American-made equipment, which he described as the best in the world.