Obama being kept abreast of Bangladesh tragedy: White House

US President Barack Obama is being kept abreast of the human tragedy in Bangladesh due to the collapse of a building in capital Dhaka that killed more than 600 people, the White House said.
"Terrible", White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters yesterday at his daily news conference when asked about the collapse of the multistory building in Dhaka.
"He (Obama) has as part of his regular briefings been kept up to date about the tragic developments in Bangladesh and the tremendous loss of life. And I know that his (Obama's) thoughts and prayers go to the victims of that tragedy," Carney said.

"I don't have specific information about some of the issues you raise that go into questions about how this happened, but he is absolutely being kept abreast of that development," White House Press Secretary said in response to a question.
Meanwhile, the US expressed concern over the violence in Bangladesh over the weekend, including the violent deaths of at least several individuals.
"This comes on the heels of a series of hartals, or general strikes, that have significantly disrupted daily life in Dhaka in recent weeks," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters adding that the US embassy in Dhaka is closely engaging with all parties to urge calm and encourage dialogue.

"While engaging in peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right, we firmly believe violence is never the answer. We look to the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety of all its citizens and encourage all Bangladeshis to peacefully express their views," Ventrell said.