A top U.S. State Department official will visit Bangladesh shortly to assess the volatile political situation ahead of elections next January, the U.S. embassy said on Saturday, according to Reuters. Richard Boucher, assistant secretary of state for south and central Asia, was expected to meet President Iajuddin Ahmed, who is also the head of Bangladesh's interim government, an embassy spokesman said. Boucher might also meet former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her arch rival Sheikh Hasina, another ex-premier who heads the Awami League party. Iajuddin took over as head of the caretaker authority last Sunday after Khaleda's five-year term ended. At least 25 people were killed and hundreds injured in three days of violent protests over who should lead the three-month administration until the January polls.
