Acting Foreign Minister Humaiun Kobir met with UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Ed Miliband on Monday on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
During the meeting, both ministers expressed satisfaction over the growing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom, highlighting robust Bangladeshi exports to the UK market and increasing British investment in Bangladesh.
The discussion also covered Bangladesh’s agreement to purchase Airbus aircraft for its national flag carrier, a move seen as a boost to the country’s aviation sector and broader economic ties.
Both officials pledged to extend reciprocal support in multilateral forums on issues such as climate change, safe and orderly migration, and humanitarian assistance, underscoring a shared commitment to global challenges.
The UK Foreign Secretary thanked Bangladesh for hosting around one million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals and assured continued British humanitarian support for the Rohingya population.
Kobir conveyed an invitation from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for Miliband to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time, signalling intent to deepen diplomatic engagement.
The meeting concluded with both sides affirming their intention to strengthen cooperation across trade, development and strategic domains.
Why it matters
The agreement strengthens Bangladesh‑UK economic and diplomatic cooperation, supporting Bangladesh’s trade growth and humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees.