To facilitate a sustainable transition, Bangladesh has sought duty-free, quota-free, and preferential market access for its exports, particularly clothing, into the British market until 2032.
The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, 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 addressed the British State minister that Bangladesh has established a goal to produce at least 40 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2041. To meet this goal, the country has begun working on several projects using waste-to-energy, solar, wind, tide, and other renewable energy sources.
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.
The Foreign Minister commended the UK government for its support of Bangladesh’s development efforts and for being the country’s largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2023. He also expressed delight over the growing commerce between the two nations, which reached a historic high of US $ 6 billion last year.
He hoped that when it came to climate action, the UK would stand by Bangladesh.
He emphasised that the safe, durable, and dignified return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar is the only way to end this protracted catastrophe, and he asked the British State Minister for strong political support in this regard.
The two ministers also spoke about their cooperation in the fields of immigration and skill development, capacity building, business-friendly environments, rural development, renewable energy, aviation, defence, and climate and environmental concerns.
