Bangladesh has proposed the initiation of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom, aiming to strengthen trade and investment ties between the two nations, says CA’s verified page.
The proposal was raised during a meeting at the British Parliament on Wednesday between the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus.
The discussion focused on enhancing bilateral trade relations and exploring avenues to increase British investment in Bangladesh. Key topics included trade facilitation, investment opportunities, and mutual economic interests.
Secretary Reynolds reaffirmed the UK’s continued support for the efforts of Bangladesh’s interim government, particularly in recovering misappropriated funds transferred abroad.
Professor Yunus outlined recent initiatives undertaken by the interim government, highlighting progress in economic recovery, banking sector reforms, the stabilisation of foreign exchange reserves, and efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability.
The meeting was also attended by National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi, and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed. Special Envoy Siddiqi formally proposed the FTA, noting that Bangladesh has already begun similar discussions with several countries, including Japan.
UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh Baroness Rosie Winterton and British High Commissioner to Dhaka Sarah Cooke also participated in the meeting.