High Commission in London commemorates Bangabandhu’s historic UK visit

The Bangladesh High Commission in London has held a high-profile virtual event to commemorate the historic maiden visit of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the United Kingdom on Jan 8, 1972.

The event, titled ‘Bangabandhu & Britain: And the Historic 8 January,’ was attended by British ministers, Leader of the Opposition, eminent parliamentarians, senior members of the House of Lords, ambassadors, renowned British journalists and senior UK Foreign Office officials on Jan 9.

They paid homage to Bangabandhu and recalled his special relationship with the British government, its Conservative and Labour prime ministers in the early 1970s, and with the British-Bangladeshi expatriates.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen graced the event as the chief guest, chaired by High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the UK and Ireland Saida Muna Tasneem, while British Foreign and Development Office Minister for South Asia and Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmed attended as the guest of honour along with First Minister of Wales Rt Hon Mark Drakeford AM as special guest.

Hundreds of expatriate Bangladeshis in the UK and Ireland also joined the event to pay tribute to the father of the nation.

“Bangabandhu’s Jan 8 official meeting with Sir Edward Heath not only set in stone a strong Bangladesh-UK friendship to grow in leaps and bounds over the next 50 years, but also paved the way for Bangladesh’s official recognition by Britain on Feb 4, 1972,” said Foreign Minister Momen.

Lord Tariq said: “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is an inspiration not just to the Bengali community across the world but to many who fight for liberty and democracy. He laid the foundation of a strong partnership and deep friendship that Bangladesh-UK has been enjoying in the past five decades since his maiden visit to the UK on Jan 8, 1972.”

“Bangabandhu’s Jan 8 visit to the UK and his official meeting at No. 10 Downing Street where he was recognised by Prime Minister Edward Heath as the President of independent Bangladesh, was in fact de facto diplomatic recognition by the then Conservative Government of a just liberated Bangladesh, and a testimony to the special status that a Statesman like Bangabandhu enjoyed with Britain,” said High Commissioner Tasneem.

Tasneem quoted from Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recent letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of Bangabandhu's birth centenary, in which Johnson wished that Bangabandhu’s inspiring founding vision of a democratic, free, secular and inclusive Bangladesh would continue to guide the country during the 50th-anniversary celebrations in 2021 and beyond.

Following the discussion, Momen and Tariq jointly inaugurated the ‘Bangabandhu Library’ established at the Bangladesh High Commission in London, marking the historic day of Bangabandhu’s maiden visit to the UK and the birth centenary of the father of the nation.

The Library will remain open for all British people who would like to do research on the Bangabandhu, said Tasneem.

A documentary on Bangabandhu was screened at the beginning of the event titled, ‘Bangabandhu and Britain: A special relationship’, following a cultural presentation of a Sarod recital and dance performance titled ‘Bangabandhu the Braveheart: A Veer Rasa,’ by renowned classical musician Rajrupa Chowdhury and prominent Bangladeshi artist Sadia Islam Mou and her troupe.