Ex-US ambassador Peter D. Haas was seen at Cox's Bazar

Former US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter D. Haas made a visit to Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday, reportedly for a project-related inspection in Maheshkhali.

Peter Haas arrived in Cox’s Bazar on a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Dhaka, accompanied by two individuals on Wednesday.

The flight landed at approximately 9:30 AM Bangladesh time. From the airport, they proceeded directly to BIWTA ghat in Nuniyarchhara, where they boarded a speedboat to Maheshkhali, according to a source at Cox’s Bazar airport.

The two men accompanying him were identified as KM Atikul Islam and Mohammad Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan, although no official affiliations have been confirmed for either.

In Maheshkhali, Haas visited Excelerate HOPE Hospital, a facility jointly established by local NGO HOPE Foundation and US-based energy company Excelerate Energy. He was welcomed there by Bangladesh Country Director of HOPE Foundation.

Maheshkhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Hedayet Ullah confirmed the visit. It marks Haas’s second trip to Maheshkhali in his role as Strategic Advisor to Excelerate Energy, a US-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) company.

Sources suggest the visit was connected to the ongoing LNG terminal and related infrastructure projects in the area.

Peter Haas had arrived in Dhaka last Saturday for a week-long visit.

Security was visibly heightened throughout his visit. From the airport to various locations in Maheshkhali, there was a noticeable presence of police and law enforcement personnel.

According to sources within district police, Peter Haas was scheduled to depart Cox’s Bazar at 6:10 PM on a return flight to Dhaka.