Dhaka, March 26 -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has congratulated Bangladeshis on 53 years of the South Asian country's independence from Pakistan. "The United States is proud to partner with Bangladesh on many of today's most pressing issues, including combating climate change, advancing economic development, responding to the Rohingya refugee crisis, supporting peacekeeping operations worldwide, and addressing global health challenges," he said in a statement on Independence Day on Tuesday.

He said the US-Bangladesh partnership plays an "important role in ensuring a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region".

"As Bangladesh celebrates another year of independence, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening democr...