Dhaka: The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Sarah Cooke, today held a meeting with the President of the International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh (ICCB), Mahbubur Rahman, and members of the ICCB Executive Board at the ICCB secretariat in the city.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Mahbubur Rahman highlighted the long-standing relationship between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom, emphasizing deep historical ties, vibrant people-to-people connections, and robust trade. Rahman noted the UK’s position as one of Bangladesh’s largest export destinations, especially for ready-made garments, and acknowledged the active presence of British companies in Bangladesh’s financial services, energy, and education sectors. He expressed hope for enhanced economic collaboration and cooperation on global challenges like climate change and sustainable development.
Sarah Cooke reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Bangladesh, particularly in enhancing two-way trade and investment. She acknowledged Bangladesh’s progress toward graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and stressed the importance of diversifying exports to sustain economic growth. Cooke emphasized that the UK remains a crucial export market for Bangladesh, supporting its exports through the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which provides 0% import tariffs on 99.8% of products until 2029. After that, Bangladesh will have 0% import tariffs on 92% of its product lines under the DCTS, including readymade garments.
Looking ahead, Cooke identified higher education, climate finance, renewable energy, and aviation as key areas for future partnerships. She also highlighted UK initiatives aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs and facilitating their access to the UK market. During the meeting, ICCB representatives proposed enhanced UK support for capacity building, skills development, and scholarships for higher education.
The meeting was attended by ICCB Vice Presidents A. K. Azad and Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Executive Board Members Abdul Hai Sarker, Aftab Ul Islam, Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), Md. Fazlul Hoque, Mir Nasir Hossain, Sayeed Ahmed, Showkat Aziz Russell, Simeen Rahman, Banking Commission Chair Muhammad A. (Rumee) Ali, Managing Director of DBL Group M. A. Jabbar, and ICCB Secretary General Ataur Rahman. They welcomed the High Commissioner’s initiative and echoed the call for deepening business-to-business and institution-to-institution linkages between the two nations.
The meeting also included Deputy Director of Trade and Investment at the British High Commission in Dhaka, Saiyab Amal Ahmed, ICCB General Manager Ajay Bihari Saha, and Deputy General Manager Syeda Shahnewaz Lotika.