US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gore’s visit to Bangladesh

Staff Correspondent 

Dhaka, July 30, 2026: US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gore is visiting Bangladesh today. A Foreign Ministry official confirmed the matter. The visit was expected to be coordinated with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman’s return to the country.

The Foreign Minister is currently on a three-nation tour and returned to Dhaka on July 28.

First US special envoy’s visit after five months of BNP government

This is the first visit to Bangladesh by a US special envoy in five months after the BNP-led government came to power. Diplomatic sources are considering the visit as highly significant.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visit to China saw several agreements signed, including the modernization of Mongla Port, the Teesta River project, defense cooperation, and the establishment of a Chinese economic zone in Chittagong. In light of Bangladesh’s growing closeness with China, Sergio Gore’s visit is being seen as part of the ongoing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region.

Tensions over trade and tariffs

Under a US trade deal brokered by the interim government, Bangladesh was subject to a 19 percent tariff. About a month later, the US imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on various Chinese goods under the pretext of labor rights, following various financing agreements with China. The move has put significant strain on bilateral relations.

Diplomatic observers expect Sergio Gore’s visit to focus on trade, tariff reductions, security cooperation and regional strategic issues. The visit of previous US envoy Paul Kapoor was largely focused on enforcing the terms of trade agreements.

Possible military and strategic discussions

Security analysts see the visit as an attempt to discuss and pressure potential military cooperation agreements, including GSOMIA and ACSA. Experts believe that the United States is seeking to increase its engagement with Bangladesh to strengthen its strategic position in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.

It is expected that various aspects of bilateral relations will be discussed in detail during the visit.