Dhaka: The UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, met with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, to discuss strengthening trade relations and promoting investment opportunities between the two nations. The meeting took place on Wednesday, as confirmed by Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the discussions focused on mutual interests, including strategies to enhance trade and attract more British investments into Bangladesh. Reynolds expressed the UK's continued support for the interim government's efforts to recover misappropriated funds that have been transferred to various countries.
Professor Yunus discussed the interim government's initiatives in economic recovery, highlighting significant reforms in the banking sector, efforts to stabilize foreign exchange reserves, and the maintenance of macroeconomic stability.
The meeting was also attended by National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi, and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed. Special Envoy Siddiqi suggested the possibility of initiating a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the UK and Bangladesh, mentioning that Dhaka has already begun discussions on FTAs with several other countries, including Japan.
UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh, Baroness Rosie Winterton, and British High Commissioner in Dhaka, Sarah Cooke, were also present at the meeting, contributing to the dialogue aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation.