Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, British state minister for Foreign Affairs for South Asia, the Commonwealth, and the UN, met with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday.
During the meeting, he discussed his aspirations for the growing Bangladesh-UK friendship, including opportunities for increased trade and investment, closer security cooperation, cyber security, and UK support for critical climate projects and quality education for girls.
Lord Ahmad congratulated Bangladesh on assuming the chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association. He also recognized Bangladesh’s efforts in managing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Foreign Minister Momen thanked the UK government for removing travel restrictions imposed on Bangladesh in the wake of the Delta variant.
The Bangladesh minister commended the role of the UK presidency during COP26 held in Glasgow earlier this month. Lord Ahmad acknowledged Bangladesh’s proactive role as the chair of the Climate Vulnerability Forum and recalled his conversations with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Glasgow.
The UK state minister informed the Bangladesh minister about the UK’s funding support of £120 Million for climate action in Bangladesh, with a focus on addressing the vulnerability of women and girls.
Lord Ahmad also stressed that the UK government was prioritizing girls’ education and announced new funding support of £54 million for female students and disadvantaged children affected by the pandemic.
Momen urged the UK to continue to remain engaged on the question of Rohingya repatriation.
Lord Ahmad assured the Bangladesh minister of standing by the Rohingyas to help find a durable solution to the crisis they faced. He expressed satisfaction at the recent understanding reached between the government of Bangladesh and the UN on the latter’s work at Bhashan Char.
The two ministers exchanged views on cyber security issues and the challenges of religious tolerance and communal harmony. They talked about further accelerating the UN’s work on promoting responsible behaviour in cyberspace by involving the private sector.
The Bangladesh foreign minister requested the visiting British dignitary for a facilitation of visas for those working in the curry industry, which would create an opportunity for skilled manpower from Bangladesh to work in the UK.
Momen also requested that the British government extradite convicted war criminals currently living in the UK.
Earlier, Lord Ahmad gave a talk, titled “Bangladesh – UK: Partners for Progress”, at the Foreign Service Academy.
Lord Ahmad is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh to attend the 21st IORA Council of Ministers meetings.
