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The United Kingdom and Bangladesh have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, with the British high commissioner signalling London’s intention to work closely with Dhaka across a range of strategic priorities.
Sarah Cooke met Bangladesh’s foreign minister, Khalilur Rahman, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday, describing their talks as “very good” and focused on strengthening an already longstanding partnership.
“I’ve just come from a very good meeting with the honourable foreign minister,” Cooke told reporters after emerging from the talks. “I congratulated the honourable minister on taking up his new role here in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
She said both sides had “reaffirmed the strength and depth of the UK–Bangladesh partnership” and discussed expanding cooperation in areas including economic growth, migration, security, climate change and the Rohingya crisis.
“As you know, the UK has a very long-standing partnership with Bangladesh and we very much look forward to continuing to work closely together in this new chapter of the country,” Cooke said.
The meeting comes as Bangladesh navigates a new political phase following the formation of its latest government. Rahman welcomed the UK’s engagement and thanked London for sending Seema Malhotra, the UK minister for the Indo-Pacific, to attend the recent oath-taking ceremony.
Both sides highlighted what they described as deep historical ties and strong people-to-people connections, underpinned by a large and politically influential Bangladeshi diaspora in the UK. The community, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, has long served as a bridge between the two countries.
According to officials, discussions focused on exploring new avenues for collaboration in education, migration governance, security cooperation and climate resilience. The two sides also addressed the protracted Rohingya refugee crisis, with Bangladesh continuing to host more than a million Rohingya who fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar.
Rahman urged the UK to use its diplomatic weight — particularly its position within the UN Security Council and other international forums — to press for the “speedy return” of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
The foreign minister also sought British support for Bangladesh’s candidacy for the presidency of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly for the 2026–2027 term. Cooke said she would relay the credentials of Bangladesh’s candidate to London and assured that the UK would give “due consideration” to the bid.
The meeting concluded with both sides expressing optimism about the future trajectory of Bangladesh–UK relations and reaffirming their commitment to closer cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issues.
Earlier in the day, the high commissioner also met Shama Obaed Islam, Bangladesh’s state minister for foreign affairs, to congratulate her on her recent appointment. Islam emphasised the importance of expanding collaboration in skills development, managed migration, healthcare, education, trade and investment.
The renewed diplomatic engagement underscores London’s continued interest in maintaining strong ties with Bangladesh at a time of geopolitical flux and economic transition. For Dhaka, deepening cooperation with Britain — one of its largest export markets and a longstanding development partner — remains a key pillar of its foreign policy.
Both governments appear keen to frame the moment as an opportunity: not merely to sustain historic links, but to recalibrate them for a shifting global landscape.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com