Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award launched in UK
Bangabandhu’s maiden visit to the UK was on January 8, 1972
Bangabandhu Collected
BSS
Publish : 13 Jan 2022, 12:33 AMUpdate : 13 Jan 2022, 12:33 AM
The Bangladesh High Commission in London has launched the Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's maiden visit to the United Kingdom.
The award was launched on Monday at an event titled “Bangabandhu in Britain: The Historic 8 January,” where British ministers, cross-party senior parliamentarians, diplomats, academics and eminent members of the British-Bangladeshi community paid rich tributes to Bangabandhu, a press release said.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen joined the event as the chief guest while UK Conservative Party Chairman and Minister Oliver Dowden was the guest of honour. UK Minister of State and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Department John Glen was the special guest.
Momen said Bangabandhu’s maiden visit to the UK on January 8 in 1972 as the president of Bangladesh bears unparalleled historic, geo-strategic and diplomatic significance in the robust Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations of 2022 and beyond.
He thanked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for recognising Bangabandhu's 8 January visit to the UK and Downing Street as instrumental in forging the friendship between Bangladesh and the UK.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem said the Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award will be given to those who make extraordinary contributions in promoting the Bangladesh-UK friendship.
The high commissioner also announced the formation of the 8 January Foundation to promote the significance of the historic day among younger people.
Dowden termed Bangabandhu’s January 8 visit to the UK and meeting with Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath as a milestone in establishing diplomatic relations between London and Dhaka.
"It was a powerful symbol of the deep and enduring bonds between the UK and Bangladesh bound by kinship, culture, and shared prosperity," he added.
Minister of State and Economic Secretary to Treasury Department John Glen said Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's maiden visit to the UK 50 years ago and his meeting with Edward Heath paved the way for a value-based relationship between the two countries.
Chairman of Labour party Anneliese Dodds, Liberal Democrat Group Leader at the House of Lords Lord Newby, Vice Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh Bob Blackman, and Chair of House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tugendhat also spoke, representing the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democratic parties.
Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland, Director for India and Indian Ocean Directorate at the UK FCDO Ben Mellor and High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom Gaitri Issar Kumar spoke as special guests while Eminent British-Bangladeshi Community member Syed Sajidur Rahman Faruk also spoke at the event.
The event began with the laying of floral wreaths at the life-size portrait of Bangabandhu by the high commissioner and mission officers.
A documentary produced by the London mission on Bangabandhu's historic January 8 visit was shown, the release added.
Sir Edward Richard George Heath served as British Prime Minister from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975.
Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award launched in UK
Bangabandhu’s maiden visit to the UK was on January 8, 1972
The Bangladesh High Commission in London has launched the Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's maiden visit to the United Kingdom.
The award was launched on Monday at an event titled “Bangabandhu in Britain: The Historic 8 January,” where British ministers, cross-party senior parliamentarians, diplomats, academics and eminent members of the British-Bangladeshi community paid rich tributes to Bangabandhu, a press release said.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen joined the event as the chief guest while UK Conservative Party Chairman and Minister Oliver Dowden was the guest of honour. UK Minister of State and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Department John Glen was the special guest.
Momen said Bangabandhu’s maiden visit to the UK on January 8 in 1972 as the president of Bangladesh bears unparalleled historic, geo-strategic and diplomatic significance in the robust Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations of 2022 and beyond.
He thanked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for recognising Bangabandhu's 8 January visit to the UK and Downing Street as instrumental in forging the friendship between Bangladesh and the UK.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem said the Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award will be given to those who make extraordinary contributions in promoting the Bangladesh-UK friendship.
The high commissioner also announced the formation of the 8 January Foundation to promote the significance of the historic day among younger people.
Dowden termed Bangabandhu’s January 8 visit to the UK and meeting with Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath as a milestone in establishing diplomatic relations between London and Dhaka.
"It was a powerful symbol of the deep and enduring bonds between the UK and Bangladesh bound by kinship, culture, and shared prosperity," he added.
Minister of State and Economic Secretary to Treasury Department John Glen said Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's maiden visit to the UK 50 years ago and his meeting with Edward Heath paved the way for a value-based relationship between the two countries.
Chairman of Labour party Anneliese Dodds, Liberal Democrat Group Leader at the House of Lords Lord Newby, Vice Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh Bob Blackman, and Chair of House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tugendhat also spoke, representing the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democratic parties.
Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland, Director for India and Indian Ocean Directorate at the UK FCDO Ben Mellor and High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom Gaitri Issar Kumar spoke as special guests while Eminent British-Bangladeshi Community member Syed Sajidur Rahman Faruk also spoke at the event.
The event began with the laying of floral wreaths at the life-size portrait of Bangabandhu by the high commissioner and mission officers.
A documentary produced by the London mission on Bangabandhu's historic January 8 visit was shown, the release added.
Sir Edward Richard George Heath served as British Prime Minister from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975.