Govt urges UK to lift ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali made the urge expecting a strong pursuance from the British Trade Envoy Rushanara Ali MP when she met him at his ministry on Wednesday. The temporary ban was slapped on direct air cargo shipments from Dhaka to London on March 8 over security concerns. The foreign minister also hoped that Bangladesh would continue to enjoy the same or better facilities for duty free - quota free (DFQF) market access to the UK market for ‘Everything but Arms’ product and services even after Brexit comes into force. During the call on, the Minister congratulated Rushanara Ali on her being appointed as the British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy for Bangladesh. He also expressed his satisfaction over the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Bangladesh Railway and British company DP Rail Ltd. for setting up a 240-kilometre rail line between Dhaka and Payra seaport in Patuakhali’s Kuakata, in her presence. Mentioning this as the biggest ever foreign direct investment, the Foreign Minister observed that this would be the major breakthrough in the public-private partnership area in Bangladesh.