UK to support Bangladesh’s aspiration of becoming an aviation hub

UK Minister for International Trade Nigel Huddleston on Wednesday assured utmost support in realising Bangladesh's aspiration of becoming an aviation hub and sharing expertise in the tourism sector.

He also assured participation of a good number of British companies in the upcoming Commonwealth Trade Fair in Dhaka and of a wider support in disaster management.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali held a meeting with the visiting UK minister at the state guesthouse Padma.

The meeting discussed at length existing and future avenues of cooperation, particularly in the aviation sector, new fleet from Airbus, technical support and capacity building and organising joint workshops.

Collaboration and assistance in the tourism sector, expansion of trade on the whole with emphasis on the service sector, Commonwealth Trade and Investment Forum in Dhaka this September, opportunities associated with preferential trading scheme of UK-DCTS, assistance for Rohingya refugees, upcoming national election and Bangladesh's candidature in the IMO election in London featured as major points of discussion, among others.     

The minister and British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke conveyed renewed pledges of the British government towards more political and financial assistance and expressed confidence in a free and fair national election in Bangladesh, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting ended with commitments to advancing the historical and multifaceted relations and exchange of gifts and mementos.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, and the British High Commissioner in Dhaka joined their respective delegations.

Earlier, the British Minister for International Trade met Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi and PM's Adviser for Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman separately and had fruitful discussions on issues of shared interest.