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State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam has said Bangladesh and the UK will jointly celebrate 50 years of diplomatic bonhomie in both Dhaka and London.
Britain was one of the first countries in Europe to recognise Bangladesh’s independence on Feb 4, 1972.
Speaking at an event marking Bangladesh’s independence in London on Monday, the state minister said, “The UK continues to assume a special place in the foreign policy priority of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had a special connection with Britain. London was his first stopover when he returned to Dhaka from Rawalpindi after being released from Pakistani prison following the birth of Bangladesh on Dec 16.
The then British prime minister Edward Heath received him at 10 Downing Street. Heath also accorded him the honour of a visiting head of state.
Emphasising “unforgettable contribution” of the UK government, British and Bangladeshi-British people to the Bangladesh's War of Independence, Alam said, “We would celebrate the friendship between Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the then British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath as well as with Prime Minister Baron Harold Wilson in the early 70s.”
He also said the Bangladesh government would specially look toward re-energising its important strategic, trade, investment and security cooperation with the UK.
Bangladesh High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem highlighted the government’s “championing development” with a target of attaining double-digit economic growth and making Bangladesh a developed, progressive and secular country.
She thanked the UK government and its people for their support to Bangladesh and hoped that the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and UK would reach a new height in the days ahead.
The UK is one the largest development partners of Bangladesh and remains the second biggest foreign investor.
More than 240 British companies are operating in sectors, including retail, banking, energy, infrastructure, consultancy and education with leading centres of operations in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.
About half a million Bangladeshi expatriates live in the UK. Both sides hold strategic dialogue at the government level.
The state minister was in London for a 12-hour transit ahead of his trip to Canada via the United States.
This was his first visit to the UK after taking office as the state minister for foreign affairs for a second term.
During the brief stopover, he met some senior British parliamentarians, held meetings with his counterpart Mark Field and participated in a discussion meeting at the House of Commons on Bangladesh Independence and National Day, organised by the UK Awami League. reports bdnews24.com.