Washington wants solution – not punishment: Shannon; He also meets Hasina

The United States will continue its support to Bangladesh over Rohingya issue keeping up pressure on Myanmar to take back its forcibly-evicted nationals from Bangladesh.

The assurance came on Sunday evening when US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas A Shannon met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

The PM, echoing Shannon, said the pressure on Myanmar as well as engagement will have to be kept up to peacefully resolve the Rohingya crisis.

Meanwhile, the visiting US Under Secretary of State said USA is currently prioritising the solution for Rohingya crisis, not punishing anyone.

He made the remarks citing ‘positive developments’ over Rohingya issue.

"Right now our purpose is to solve the problem; not to punish...," Thomas A Shannon told the media at a joint briefing at the State Guesthouse Padma in Dhaka.

The briefing was held after the US-Bangladesh Partnership Dialogue in Dhaka on Sunday morning.

The US official said they intend to work with all governments, international institutions and organisations like the UN to address the humanitarian crisis.

"There are some positive movements regarding the Rohingya crisis and Burmese authorities are receiving international community and their diplomats and government officials," said Shannon.

Shannon also said there are engagements between diplomats and other government officials between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

"So, engagement is taking place. Dialogue is taking place," Shannon said.

The purpose of US is to try and find a way to capture that and continue to move it forward towards some kind of solution.

Earlier on the day, the sixth US-Bangladesh Partnership Dialogue was held reviewing the entire gamut of the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Apart from the bilateral issues, regional and global issues, including the Rohingya crisis, were discussed in the dialogue.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas A Shannon led the US side while Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque the Bangladesh side.