

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator Bonnie Glick traveled to Bangladesh from November 5-7 to encourage pro-growth economic reforms, visit USAID programs that combat human trafficking and promote hygiene and sanitation and address the ongoing Rohingya humanitarian crisis.

While in Dhaka, Deputy Administrator Glick met with Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment and Development Authority Md. Sirazul Islam to reinforce USAID's commitment to supporting the Government of Bangladesh's efforts to improve the business-enabling environment. At an event at the American Chamber of Commerce, she highlighted USAID's partnership with the Government of Bangladesh and the private sector to diversify Bangladesh's economy and stimulate new economic growth, and announced the results of a recent USAID assessment of emerging industries that hold the highest potential for economic growth for Bangladesh. These emerging industries include agri-business, information and communications technology, light engineering, tourism, energy, and health.

Deputy Administrator Glick traveled to Cox's Bazar to meet with key partners and stakeholders concerning the Rohingya crisis response and observe U.S.-supported programs to assist Rohingya refugees and impacted host communities. The Deputy Administrator viewed U.S. government activities supporting the refugee response, including a USAID-supported community cooking and learning center, which provides women with a common space to cook safely on gas stoves, learn useful life skills, and build community support networks; and a USAID-supported food shop that gives refugees the chance to select for themselves diverse and nutritious foods using electronic vouchers. Deputy Administrator Glick also met with UN partners to discuss the assistance efforts led by international organizations and NGOs.

Deputy Administrator Glick visited host communities in Cox's Bazar, where USAID assistance is helping to increase business opportunities by improving agricultural practices and income prospects in aquaculture, livestock, and other industries; providing primary health care services; and countering human trafficking by raising awareness, supporting victim shelters, and improving living conditions of survivors by expanding income opportunities. She visited a USAID-supported shelter focused on combatting human trafficking and providing support services to survivors. Later she met with local women who suffer from health and nutrition problems caused by poor sanitation and she learned how sanitary latrines are helping them improve hygiene in the community.

Deputy Administrator Glick stressed the U.S. Government's commitment to stand with Bangladesh as it hosts nearly one million Rohingyas. The United States is the leading contributor of humanitarian assistance in response to the Rohingya crisis, providing more than $669 million since the escalation of violence in August 2017; more than $553 million of that funding is for programs inside Bangladesh. This assistance supports local Bangladeshi communities, Rohingya refugees, internally displaced persons, and other affected communities. The United States continues to call on others to join in contributing to this humanitarian response. The United States will evaluate critically the UN technical study of Bhasan Char, which will evaluate its technical, security, and financial feasibility to serve as an additional locale for Rohingya refugees.

The visit by Deputy Administrator Glick highlighted the many initiatives of the U.S. government to promote greater cooperation, dialogue, and mutual understanding between Bangladesh and the United States, and a strong partnership to help ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Before arriving in Bangladesh, the Deputy Administrator visited Vietnam and Thailand. Read her trip readouts here. The Deputy Administrator continues her travel to Indonesia through November 11, 2019.