Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday conveyed to visiting United States congressmen Ed Case and Richard McCormick that there was no scope for reaching any consensus as the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party wanted the government to step down.

He conveyed the message when the congressmen wanted to know whether there was any way to reach consensus.

Momen also asked them whether the US government would step down prior to the election there.

He said that there was a need for sincere efforts from all political parties to hold a free and fair election.

Talking to reporters, the foreign minister said that the election would be held as per the existing rules.

He said that the Bangladesh government wanted fair and transparent elections, free from violence where all political parties would have a role.

Momen said that they also discussed the Rohingya crisis and Indo-Pacific region and Bangladesh briefly talked about its Indo-Pacific Outlook that seeks a free, fair, inclusive and secure region.

Foreign minister Momen held the meeting with the visiting members of the United States Congress at the State Guest House Padma on Sunday afternoon.

Congressman McCormick is representing the Republican Party from Georgia, and Case is from the Democratic Party, Hawaii.

US ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas was also present in the meeting.

From the Bangladesh side, among others, special envoy to the prime minister for climate change Saber Hossain Chowdhury, member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Kazi Nabil Ahmed and Mohammad A Arafat were present at the meeting.

In the morning, the congressmen visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka.

The congressmen are scheduled to meet leaders of various political parties.

Case and McCormick will visit Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on Monday and hold meetings with various stakeholders.

The US embassy said that they were pleased to welcome the first congressional delegation since 2017.

While in Dhaka, representatives McCormick (R-GA) and Case (D-HI) are meeting with government officials, and civil society members to discuss the importance of free and fair elections and issues of mutual interest to strengthen bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States.