The United Kingdom acknowledging Bangladesh as an "increasingly important strategic partner" in the Indo-Pacific region and a "key player" further demonstrates that when it comes to our diplomacy endeavours, we are on the right track.
Indeed, it is particularly encouraging to see the UK having identified six strategic goals in relation to Bangladesh, which are foreign policy and security, democratic institutions and norms, women and girls and global health, economic reform, trade and investment, climate change and environment, and Rohingya and disaster preparedness.
Now is the time for thorough assessment to ensure that we remain on the same page as the UK, and that these goals, which have been among the most important avenues for Bangladesh to address, are approached without facing any major issues -- and that this approach proves fruitful. To that end, we appreciate the multi-year evaluations planned by the British High Commission in Bangladesh, signaling that it is indeed serious about following through.
Bangladesh's progress at this stage cannot be denied, yet with climate change and global volatility only worsening, nations like Bangladesh are right to turn to nations like the UK for support, especially with the deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals fast approaching.
Bangladesh has been well and truly on its way towards becoming an increasingly significant player in the global economy, and it is good to see that slowly but surely, more nations are taking note.
If we are indeed to navigate the next two decades and become a smarter and more prosperous Bangladesh, we must continue to put diplomacy and our strategic partnerships with other nations at the heart of our development and nation building initiatives.
