Dhaka: British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke announced that Bangladesh and the United Kingdom are set to deepen their collaboration on several key issues, including trade and investment, migration cooperation, and support for the Rohingya crisis. This announcement came following a meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Cooke emphasized the longstanding partnership between the two nations, which is built on deep-rooted connections between their peoples, robust trade and investment ties, and close cooperation on both regional and international issues. She expressed her delight in meeting the newly appointed State Minister and conveyed her eagerness to work closely with him and the government of Bangladesh to strengthen this partnership further.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the High Commissioner congratulated the State Minister on his new role and expressed confidence in the continued growth of the Bangladesh-UK partnership. The discussions between the two sides highlighted the historical ties and strong people-to-people connections, emphasizing enhancing trade and investment, economic ties, and collaboration in the aviation sector.
Further discussion points included increasing cooperation in education, migration and mobility, skills development, and security. The State Minister also appreciated the UK's ongoing support for the Rohingya people and urged for continued international efforts towards their safe and dignified repatriation to Myanmar. In response, Cooke assured that the UK would maintain its leadership role at the UN Security Council and prioritize the issue globally.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on bilateral, regional, and global matters of mutual interest.