Bangladesh-UK strategic dialogue begins Wednesday in Dhaka

The 3rd Strategic Dialogue between Bangladesh and the UK will be held in Dhaka on Wednesday and Thursday.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 April 2019, 02:01 PM
Updated : 23 April 2019, 02:01 PM

The Strategic Dialogue is a forum led by Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Md Shahidul Haque and Permanent Under Secretary of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Sir Simon McDonald.

The UK side will have a delegation of 15-20 members comprising the representatives from Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department of International Development, Department of Trade, UK Home Office/ UK Border Agency, Department of Transport, and Ministry of Defence, the foreign ministry said.

Bangladesh side is expected to consist of the delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Export Promotion Bureau, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, Ministry of Defence, Economic Relations Division, Security Services Division, Special Branch of Bangladesh Police, and Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

The two-day dialogue is expected to discuss entire gamut of bilateral relations between the countries, along with other regional and multilateral issues including Rohingya, countering terrorism and violent extremism.

They will also discuss the growing focus on trade and investment relations, new areas of cooperation, regional connectivity and stability, and wide range of global issues including climate change, migration, cooperation in UN peacekeeping, Sustainable Development Goals, and Development partnership in the LDC gradation process.

McDonald is expected to give a talk on UK-Bangladesh relations during the times of Brexit at the Bangladesh Institute of International Strategic Studies.

He is also likely to meet young leaders and diplomats during the visit.

The UK secretary will have a private meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem will attend the dialogue.