The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today.
The Foreign Minister appreciated the UK for sending Seema Malhotra, Minister for the Indo-Pacific, during the oath-taking ceremony of the new government. Both sides noted with satisfaction the deep historical ties, strong people-to-people connections, and the vibrant Bangladeshi diaspora in the United Kingdom, which continues to serve as a vital bridge between the two countries.
The Foreign Minister and the High Commissioner discussed on exploring new avenues for collaboration, particularly in areas of mutual interest such as education, migration, security cooperation, Rohingya repatriation and enhancing the ties between our peoples.
The Foreign Minister urged the UK to continue playing its leadership role in the United Nations Security Council and other international fora for speedy returns of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
The Foreign Minister sought the UK’s support for Bangladesh’s candidature for the upcoming Presidency of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly for the term 2026-2027. The High Commissioner committed to relay Bangladeshi candidate’s competency to the headquarters and assured that the UK would give due consideration to Bangladesh’s candidature.
The meeting concluded with both sides expressing optimism about the future trajectory of Bangladesh-United Kingdom relations and reaffirming their commitment to closer collaboration on bilateral, regional, and global issues of shared interest.
Earlier in the day, the High Commissioner also called on Shama Obaed Islam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, to greet her on her recent appointment. The State Minister stressed on enhancing cooperation in skills development, migration, healthcare sector, education, and trade and investment.