Roundtable Discussion on "US Political-Military Affairs Engagement

The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised a roundtable discussion titled “US Political-Military Affairs Engagement: Security Cooperation and Peacekeeping” on Tuesday, 13 September 2022, at the BIISS Auditorium.

The discussion hosted Ms. Donna Welton, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Programs and Operations, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and her delegation. The delegation included Ms. Jennifer Pulliam, Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) Program Director, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Mr. Mike Rembold, GPOI Coordinator, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State; and Mr. Maxwell Martin, Political-Military Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy in Dhaka.

The programme commenced with a welcome address by Colonel M. A. Saadi, afwc, psc, Acting Director General of BIISS. The session concluded with closing remarks by Ambassador Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, PAA, Chairman of BIISS.

Four presentations were delivered by BIISS researchers. A. S. M. Tarek Hassan Semul, Research Fellow, presented “Bangladesh's Strategic Culture and Outlook,” examining the country's evolving strategic priorities and foreign policy orientation. M. Ashique Rahman, Senior Research Fellow, delivered a presentation on “Bangladesh–US Security and Defence Cooperation,” highlighting opportunities for strengthening bilateral security collaboration. Shanjida Shahab Uddin, Research Fellow, presented “Bangladesh in the Changing Nature of UN Peacekeeping Operations,” discussing Bangladesh's contributions to United Nations peacekeeping missions and emerging operational challenges. Md. Jahan Shoieb, Research Fellow, delivered a presentation titled “Repatriation of Rohingyas: Role of International Actors,” focusing on international efforts to facilitate the safe, voluntary, and sustainable repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya population.

The presentations were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants exchanged views on Bangladesh–United States security cooperation, peacekeeping, regional security dynamics, humanitarian challenges, and the evolving strategic environment. The event brought together policymakers, diplomats, military officials, academics, researchers, and security experts, who emphasised the importance of sustained dialogue, enhanced defence cooperation, capacity building, and multilateral engagement in addressing shared regional and global security challenges.