Bangladesh maintained its broad commitment to democracy which is one of the core values of US government, its Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon has said.

Shannon, during a meeting with Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam at the US Department of State yesterday, also said the US government considered Bangladesh as an important partner.

Shannon thanked the state minister and said his maiden visit to Bangladesh in December 2015 was very important and fruitful, according to a press release of Bangladesh embassy in Washington.

He also underscored the necessity of strengthening the bilateral relations to a new height.

Both of them discussed other issues of common concern including the global threat of Islamic State, climate change, recent attacks on foreigners and bloggers in Bangladesh.

The state minister briefed the US under secretary about various initiatives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to counter these radical forces. He reiterated the premier's 'zero tolerance' stance against all sorts of terrorism and violent extremism.