U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Bangladesh to press tolerance, unity, democracy and development in one of the world's most impoverished nations.

Clinton arrived Saturday, May 5 in the capital of Dhaka, which has been increasingly tense in recent weeks with general strikes protesting the disappearance of an opposition leader and a crackdown on dissent. Her visit, however, is expected to bring a brief respite. In a goodwill gesture, the opposition has suspended protests for the occasion.

The U.S. sees Bangladesh as a potentially important voice for moderation among Muslim majority nations.

American officials say Clinton's trip, the first by a secretary of state since 2003, is aimed bringing ties with the Muslim majority country to a new level, The Associated Press reported.