Bangladesh seeks preferential trade benefits to British market until 2032

Bangladesh has sought preferential and duty-free quota-free market access for Bangladeshi exportable, including apparels, into the British market until 2032 to support a sustainable transition.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud discussed the issue when UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan met him at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday afternoon.

“Useful discussions with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on a wide range of mutually important policy areas – from energy transition to human rights and democracy, migration and Rohingya challenges, to LDC transition in 2026 and the future trade growth,” the British minister said after the meeting.

He apprised the British state minister that Bangladesh has set a target of producing at least 40% of its energy from renewable sources by 2041 and has started working through different projects including solar, wind, tides, waste-to-energy etc. to achieve the target.

The British minister of state expressed delight over the improved traffic condition in Dhaka and the completion of mega infrastructure projects, such as metro rail, 3rd terminal of the airport and expressway etc.

She highly praised the Bangladesh community living in the UK and their entrepreneurship efforts in different sectors including in the culinary business.

The British minister congratulated Bangladesh’s upcoming graduation from LDC status in 2026 and assured of her government’s support during and after this economic transition, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She commended Bangladesh for generously hosting the Rohingyas and affirmed continuous British political and financial support in this regard, including the recent one of 12 million pounds.

The foreign minister expressed satisfaction over the expanding trade between the two countries that reached a landmark height of $6 billion in 2023 and thanked the UK government for its support towards Bangladesh’s development efforts and being the highest FDI source for Bangladesh in 2023.

He hoped that the UK would be beside Bangladesh in its climate actions.

He underlined that the only solution to this protracted Rohingya crisis lies in the safe, sustainable and dignified return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar and requested the British State Minister for their active political support in it.

The two ministers further discussed cooperation in the areas of migration and skills development, capacity building, ease of doing business, rural development, climate and environmental challenges, green energy, aviation, defence, etc.

The foreign minister fondly recalled Bangabandhu’s first historic visit to the UK on 8 January 1972 immediately after being released from the Pakistani captivity that formed the base of the friendly ties of the two countries.

Source: UNB