United Kingdom keen to boost trade and investment with Bangladesh: Sarah Cooke

Newly appointed British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke on Monday, August 14 said that her country United Kingdom  is keen to enhance the bilateral trade and investment relationship with Bangladesh.

The UK high commissioner said this while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s official residence Ganabhaban. Sarah Cooke said the UK will continue to cooperate with Bangladesh in its development efforts. Britain will particularly continue to support the education of girls in Bangladesh.

PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told journalists that during the meeting bilateral relations, security, climate change, Rohingya and regional issues came up for discussion. They both expressed satisfaction over the ongoing bilateral relations and cooperation.

The new UK high commissioner gave emphasize on imparting the skills development training to the displaced Rohingya people so that they could be re-employed after their repatriation. Sarah Cooke said they want a free, fair and peaceful election to be held in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is due to hold its next general elections by January next year.

Regarding this Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said they had to struggle for long 21 years (from 1975 to 1996) for restoration of democracy in Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasian further said following the victory of BNP-Jamaat alliance in the 2001 general election, they celebrated the win unleashing a reign of terrors, killing hundreds of people, raping women and looting villages across the country. It is we who established freedom of expression and opened the media to the private sector.”