US wants Bangla to purchase its arms

Talks between Clinton and premier Sheikh Hasina will also focus on training programmes for the Bangladesh military and joint military exercises between the two countries, the daily said quoting the sources.

The US side is expected to insist that Bangladesh purchase more military hardware from Washington. There has been considerable concern in the U S over Dhaka’s earlier rejection of SOFA and purchase of military equipment from Russia and China. There has also been considerable increase in equipment purchase from India in recent times, the sources were quoted by the daily as saying.

It may be recalled here that Bangladesh had, earlier in July 1988, communicated to US that it does not want to sign SOFA with the US government that would allow movement of American military personnel on the Bangladesh soil without travel documents during emergencies.

The US defence department had also undertaken an assessment study for preparing a five-year plan for providing possible humanitarian and disaster assistance to Bangladesh in times of need.