Dhaka, May 7 (IANS): Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Dhaka has "formally brought Bangladesh on the strategic radar of the US", said a leading Bangladeshi daily Monday.

An editorial in the Daily Star said the visit has been significant in more ways than one.

"It has, for one thing, moved the level of bilateral relationship to a higher degree and, for another, formally brought Bangladesh on the strategic radar of the US. Clinton's comments covered both the internal political situation as well as the strategic compulsions," it said.

The daily said that notable in Clinton's comments is the urgency for "resolution of conflictive issues ... and stimulation of such a state that would see politics and economy complement each other for a holistic growth of the country".

The editorial went on to say that Clinton's "call for dialogue to find solutions to seemingly intractable issues finds strong resonance among the right thinking ones too".

"Certainly, hartal, and the violence associated with it, as we have seen in very recent times, as well as in the past, can only exacerbate the situation and not solve it. It is not only the poor that are the worst sufferers, it discourages foreign investment too, something which Bangladesh needs so badly," it said.

The editorial stressed that the most significant issue addressed during the visit is "the commitment of both countries to meet annually for consultations on various issues of mutual concern and addressing them to their mutual benefits".