UNB :
UK’s Minister for South Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon on Thursday reinforced the UK’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Bangladesh as he left for London concluding his 3-day visit to Bangladesh.
In a busy programme of meetings and visits to places, the Minister reinforced the UK’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Bangladesh across a wide range of issues including trade, security, climate change and the Rohingya crisis.
Lord Ahmad, who is also the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, held meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, as well as with representatives of civil society organisations and the humanitarian sector.
In his meetings, Lord Ahmad discussed the path to Bangladesh’s landmark graduation from Least Developed Country Status, which is due in 2026.
The Minister set out opportunities for enhanced trade and investment between the UK and Bangladesh, with a particular focus on the service sectors in which the UK is a world-leader, including finance, health and education.
Lord Ahmad urged the Government of Bangladesh to implement the relevant rules to allow UK higher education institutions to offer their services in Bangladesh.
This would offer young Bangladeshis more choice and support quality improvement across the sector as part of the Bangladesh government’s drive to improve the effectiveness and relevance of higher education, he said.
Lord Ahmad had the opportunity to discuss the valuable contribution of civil society, media, and academia to the partnership between the UK and Bangladesh.
He acknowledged the challenges facing some of these groups, and highlighted the UK’s commitment to supporting human rights and democratic values. He also supported their commitment to the democratic process ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming elections.
