The United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke met Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir on Monday to explore opportunities for strengthening trade ties and attracting increased British investment into Bangladesh.
The meeting, held at the Commerce Ministry at the Secretariat in Dhaka, focused on deepening economic cooperation and identifying priority sectors where collaboration could generate mutual benefits.
Officials said both sides reviewed existing trade relations and discussed practical steps to expand investment flows.
The minister highlighted Bangladesh’s interest in securing greater British participation in key industries, particularly in the tea sector of Sylhet, where significant modernisation and expansion potential exists.
He noted that renewed investment could create employment opportunities and support the growth of related industries, including tourism.
Khandaker Abdul Muktadir also pointed out challenges faced by local fertiliser plants, which cannot operate at full capacity throughout the year due to gas shortages.
He said foreign investment could help ensure continuous production, especially through alternative energy solutions such as LPG-based operations.
He further encouraged British investors to consider opportunities in Bangladesh’s expanding ICT sector as part of efforts to diversify exports and strengthen industrial growth.
High Commissioner Cooke reiterated the UK’s commitment to maintaining its long-standing trade partnership with Bangladesh.
She expressed interest in capacity-building support for trade negotiators and showed particular interest in investment prospects in tea, seafood, leather processing, light engineering and export-oriented industries.
State Minister for Commerce Md Shariful Alam, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman and Additional Secretary (Export) Md Abdur Rahim Khan were also present at the meeting.
