Admiral Stephen T Koehler, commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on prime minister Tarique Rahman, during which they discussed humanitarian assistance, disaster management and broader bilateral defence cooperation.

The meeting was held at the Cabinet Division in the Bangladesh Secretariat at 1:30pm.

During the talks, the two sides discussed Bangladesh’s capabilities and contributions to humanitarian assistance and disaster management.

The prime minister recalled the US-led Operation Sea Angel, launched in response to the devastating cyclone that struck Bangladesh in 1991.

Admiral Koehler highlighted Bangladesh’s participation in various multinational naval exercises and said the next Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training exercise would be held in Bangladesh in November.

He also referred to Bangladesh’s participation in the Sea Vision Exercise in Singapore and expressed hope that Bangladesh would regularly take part in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise and related training programmes in the future.

The meeting also reviewed the progress and mutual understanding between the two countries regarding the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

The Bangladesh side reaffirmed that it attached great importance to its relationship with the United States and expressed its interest in further strengthening bilateral ties through broader and more contemporary cooperation.

Admiral Koehler said there were significant opportunities for Bangladesh and the United States to work together and expressed optimism that relations between the two countries would continue to deepen.

He also highly praised Bangladesh’s contribution to United Nations peacekeeping operations in several African countries.

The prime minister said Bangladesh had consistently maintained its commitment to peace around the world.