American Center Director Discusses U.S. Political System with Madrassa Students

Director of the American Center Amy Hart Vrampas visited the Shahjadpur Nazar Mahmood Senior Madrassah on June 23 to discuss the U.S. political system and transition of power. Students appreciated the lively discussion and had many questions about President Obama’s commitment to engage the Muslim world. This was one of many similar meetings throughout the country sponsored by the U.S. Embassy Dhaka and arranged by Change Makers, a nonprofit organization that promotes good governance and civic education.

YES Students Prepare for a Year Abroad

Thirty Bangladeshi high school students attended a pre-departure orientation program June 20-22 to prepare for a year in the United States with the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. Students will live with host families, attend high school, engage in activities to learn about American society and values, acquire leadership skills, and help educate Americans about their countries and cultures. Program alumni played an important role in the orientation and emphasized the importance of educating others about Bangladeshi culture. This is the fifth year that Bangladesh has sent students to the United States under the YES program.

-About the YES Program

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake Visits Bangladesh

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake visited Bangladesh June 13-14. This was his first visit as Assistant Secretary. He met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, Home Affairs Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun, and opposition leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. In each of these meetings, the Assistant Secretary discussed new opportunities for cooperation between the United States and Bangladesh. He also met with parliamentarians, business people, and members of civil society. More | In Bangla (PDF)

-Biography of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake | In Bangla (PDF)
-Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake’s Statement at the Press Conference

President Obama Calls for a New Beginning with the Muslim World

Saying he came to seek a new beginning between the United States and the Muslim world, President Obama told an audience in Cairo June 4 that the cycle of suspicion and discord that has defined the relationship for so long must end. Obama said he seeks a new start that is based on mutual interest and mutual respect — “one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.” More

-Read the President’s Speech | In Bangla (PDF)
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Ambassador Moriarty’s Remarks at the Embassy’s Independence Day Reception

Tonight we celebrate the 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is a document that fills Americans with pride. Every American child can recognize the famous lines: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In this past year, the children of America learned what those lines really mean. “All men are created equal”—this is a founding principle of the United States, and with the election of the first African-American president, we saw the fulfillment of that promise. More | In Bangla (PDF)

Ambassador Moriarty Visits Sisimpur

Ambassador Moriarty and Bangladesh Minister for Information and Culture Abul Kalam Azad visited the production studios of the popular children’s television program, Sisimpur on May 27. The United States Government, through USAID, has provided $14.7 million in funding for this important program. Since broadcasting began on BTV in April 2005, Sisimpur has become the most widely watched children’s television show in Bangladesh. The program provides informal education to an estimated 9 million children each week. Sisimpur focuses on improving literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills in children between the ages of 3-6.

-U.S. Ambassador And Information Minister Meet Tuktuki At Sisimpur | In Bangla (PDF)

U.S. Government Provides $295,000 For Disaster Relief Assistance Following Cyclonic Storm Aila

On behalf of the American people, the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka expresses its deepest sympathy to the families affected by Cyclonic Storm Aila. Due to the magnitude of the damage caused by Aila in Bangladesh, United States Ambassador James F. Moriarty has issued a disaster declaration. This declaration will provide US$100,000 from the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to CARE and World Vision for emergency assistance to cyclone-affected areas. In addition, the U.S. Government, through USAID, will provide US$195,000 for emergency survival packs that include plastic sheeting, eating utensils, candles, rope, soap, matches and mosquito netting to distribute to Aila-affected people. The U.S. Government has deployed 14 mobile water purification machines to supply drinking water. Each unit is capable of producing 50,000 liters of clean drinking water per day, providing 700,000 liters per day to 70,000 households without drinking water. More | In Bangla (PDF)

Ambassador Moriarty’s World Press Freedom Day Press Conference

On May 3, U.S. Ambassador James F. Moriarty held a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity. In addition to celebrating World Press Freedom Day, the Ambassador used the press conference to review the key events in his first year in Dhaka and highlight the road ahead for U.S.-Bangladesh relations. In his remarks, the Ambassador stated, “Much progress has occurred in the past year. I continue to have high hopes as Bangladesh transitions back to democracy.”

-Remarks By Ambassador James F. Moriarty: Press Conference At The Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) | In Bangla (PDF)

Ambassador Moriarty Inaugurates Cyclone Reconstruction Program in Barisal

United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, James F. Moriarty, and Bangladesh Minister of Agriculture, Begum Matia Chowdhury, inaugurated a U.S. Government-funded Sidr reconstruction project on April 25th in Barisal. The Improved Livelihood for Sidr-Affected Rice Farmers project marks the beginning of an $80 million U.S. Government reconstruction effort in response to Cyclone Sidr. This $4.77 million program will help restore agricultural production in the Sidr-affected rice producing districts of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Department of Agricultural Extension is collaborating with the U.S. Government to implement the project. More

Secretary Clinton meets with Dr. Mohammad Yunus

On April 15, Secretary Clinton met with Dr. Yunus and representatives from Grameen Healthcare and Grameen America at the State Department. They discussed his plans to transform health care in Bangladesh through the development of Health Management Centers. Secretary Clinton is a long-time advocate of microcredit and expanding the availability of health care. A Nobel Laureate, Dr. Yunus, studied Economics at Vanderbilt University in 1965 as a Fulbright scholar. More Photos