Selected USBAC Accomplishments:

  • Played a key role in initiating the Bangladesh Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, in
    close cooperation with Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY) . The caucus is currently co-
    chaired by Congressmen Joseph Crowley and Congressman Peter King.

  • Organized and arranged the first ever U.S. Congressional Delegation visit to Bangladesh in
    January 2002.  Congressmen Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and Jim McDermott (D-WA) visited
    Dhaka Jan 11-14.  The group met with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters
    Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute to discuss "The Bangladesh
    Economy and the Arsenic Problem", visited a textile and apparel industrial park, took a boat
    ride in a traditional Bangladeshi boat, and visited a BRAC project in Dhamrai. US Ambassador
    Mary Anne Peters, hosted a dinner for the delegation which was attended by Bangladeshi
    leaders and government officials.  At the conclusion of the visit, the delegation held a press
    conference at the State Guest House and declared their commitment to improve relations
    between Bangladesh and the US with special emphasis on trade preference for Bangladesh
    in the US.

  • Regularly holding several briefing events on trade, aid, development, democracy, rule of law,  in
    Washington, DC, sometimes with partners including the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced
    International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Center for Strategic and International
    Studies, Woodrow Wilson Center, Oxfam, Action Aid, Asia Society and others.  

  • Organized several successful events for various visiting Bangladeshi delegations, helped
    organize meetings with relevant members of the U.S. Senate and Congress, Department of
    State, USTR, Department of Labor, Department of Commerce, NGOs and U.S. businesses.

  • Organized a dinner and reception honoring (now Nobel Laureate) Dr. Muhammed Yunus, the
    pioneer of micro-credit and the founder of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh. Dr. Yunus spoke of the
    need for Bangladeshi-Americans to work actively with their representatives in Congress to
    ensure the passage of H.R. 886 or the Tariff Relief Assistance for Developing Economies Act
    (TRADE) of 2005.  The trade bill was key to the economic development of South and South-
    East Asian developing countries. Other speakers at this event included the Ambassadors of
    Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal as well as former Assistant USTR  
    Ambassador Ronald Sorini, and former U.S. Ambassador David Merrill.
U.S. Bangladesh Advisory Council
Copyright U.S. Bangladesh Advisory Council