Adviser to the Ministry of Industry, Adilur Rahman Khan, has sought the co-operation of the UK government to recover funds smuggled out of Bangladesh during the tenure of the previous government.
He made this request during a meeting with James Goldman, British Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director to Bangladesh, at his office on Monday.
Present at the meeting were Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industry Zakia Sultana, Additional Secretary Md Salim Ullah, and other senior officials of the ministry.
During the meeting, the Industry Adviser stated that Britain has been a trusted development partner of Bangladesh for a long time. He highlighted that Britain was the first country in the European Union to recognise Bangladesh and emphasised the excellent bilateral trade and investment relations between the two nations. He noted that it is possible to elevate this bilateral relationship by working together more closely.
The Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industry mentioned that a bilateral investment and protection agreement was signed between Bangladesh and Great Britain on 19 June 1980, ensuring protection for direct foreign investments between the two countries. She expressed her desire to renew the agreement.
The Senior Secretary also urged the UK to invest more in sectors such as leather, sugar, ship recycling, fertilisers, cement, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and environment and climate-related projects. She highlighted the potential for both countries to collaborate on developing the young generation, especially graduates, into successful entrepreneurs through SMEs.
The British Deputy High Commissioner expressed support for the current interim government. He mentioned that Bangladesh and the UK are working together and are keen to enhance their collaboration through the formation of specialised teams.
He also expressed his commitment to co-operating with the legal process for the repatriation of money laundered from Bangladesh.
