Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has welcomed UK’s decision to continue to extend “Everything But Arms (EBA)” facility to Bangladesh even after the Brexit, hoping the UK’s support in terms of preferential access would remain in place for Bangladesh’s post-Least Developed Country (LDC) period.
He expressed his optimism regarding this issue while the new British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson called on him on Thursday, according to a press release, reports BSS.
Momen congratulated Dickson on his appointment as the new British high commissioner and assured him of best of cooperation during his tenure in Bangladesh.
He also recalled the UK’s full support during Bangladesh’s Liberation War and the historic meeting between Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and then British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath at No 10 Downing Street on January 8 in 1972, right after Bangabandhu’s release from Pakistan jail after the independence.
Momen briefed the High Commissioner about the 11th general election held on December 30 last year.
He also thanked Prime Minister Theresa May and other global leaders for congratulating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet on re-election.
The foreign minister highlighted Bangladesh’s tremendous socio-economic developments particularly during the last one decade in light of Sheikh Hasina’s Vision 2021 and Vision 2041 that envisage the transformation of Bangladesh into “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal) as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The British high commissioner promised his country’s support in terms of increased business and investment between the two countries to materialize that dream.
Referring to the Rohingya issue which was figured high in the discussion, Momen appreciated the UK’s strong political and humanitarian support in this regard.
The British high commissioner promised to maintain persistent pressure on Myanmar for early but safe, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to their ancestral land in Rakhine.
