BANGLA-2NDLD KERRY 2 LAST

The high-profile visit also comes two days after the The high-profile visit also comes two days after theBangladeshi-born Canadian mastermind of the infamous attack ona cafe popular with tourists in upmarket Gulshan, that claimedthe lives of 22 people including an Indian girl last month,was killed. Kerry said he has had "important discussions on securityissues" in Dhaka during his maiden day-long tour. "Important discussions today in Bangladesh including onsecurity issues & our strong support in fighting againstviolent extremism," he tweeted after his meeting with Hasina. Kerry, who later in the day heads to New Delhi, describedthe visit as "significantly important". Ali said discussions with Kerry were "open" and"fruitful", encompassing issues of bilateral ties andcooperation in areas including militancy and trade. "We had a very open discussion on issues of Bangladesh-USrelations… it was a fruitful discussion," he said during thebriefing along with the Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, HomeMinister Asaduzzaman Khan and State Minister for ForeignAffairs Shahriar Alam after holding talks with Kerry. Issues of cooperation in combating terrorism andmilitancy largely dominated the talks, Ali said but declinedto elaborate immediately. "These are issues to be disclosedgradually." Karim said the one-hour meeting was held in a verycordial and warm atmosphere where the entire gamut ofbilateral relations was reviewed. While talking about the ongoing anti-ISIS drive in theMiddle East, he said the outfit has been cornered in theregion due to the operation and many terrorists are nowreturning home in the face of the attack. In Bangladesh, victims of the attacks by suspectedIslamists have included secular bloggers, gay rights activistsand followers of minority religions including Hindus,Christians and Muslim Sufis and Shiites. Earlier after arrival, Kerry paid his rich tributes tothe memory of Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation BangabandhuSheikh Mujibur Rahman visiting Bangabandhu Museum as his firstengagement in Dhaka. "What a tragedy to have such brilliant and courageousleadership taken away from the people of Bangladesh in such amoment of violence and cowardice. "But today, Bangladesh is growing in the vision ofBangabandhu – and under the strong leadership of his daughter(Hasina)," Kerry wrote in the visitors’ book after he toureddifferent parts of the Bangabandhu’s residence, now turnedinto a museum. When the premier requested the US to extradite thekillers of ‘Bangabandhu’ and most of his family members in1975, who are living there, Kerry said he understands theconcern of Hasina. "The issue (of extradition) is under reviewby the US government," he said. According to analysts, Kerry’s visit takes place amid theperception that the US is not happy with the incumbentgovernment following the last parliamentary elections thatWashington did not find "credible" as BNP-led oppositionboycotted the vote. PTI AR SAI AKJSAI