UK proposes launching of Bangladesh-UK Trade, Investment Dialogue

The United Kingdom has formally proposed the launching of a Bangladesh-UK Trade and Investment Dialogue to deal with relevant issues and help boost ties between the two countries.

The Trade and Investment Dialogue would look to facilitate the deepest possible future trading relationship between Bangladesh and the UK through a mutual commitment to identifying and addressing barriers to trade faced by companies when exporting and helping improve the business environment.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson on Thursday met Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi to share the proposal on behalf of the UK government.

High Commissioner Dickson said the UK is looking to harness the opportunity presented by the UK’s exit from the European Union to develop a future trade partnership with Bangladesh that will increase two-way trade and bring greater prosperity to both of our countries.

As a champion of free trade, the UK wants to deepen its already strong trading relationship with Bangladesh by developing a trade partnership that builds on our shared trade and investment interests, said the British High Commission in Dhaka.

Increasing trade between the two countries will help increase growth and aid economic development, said the UK government.

The value of Bangladesh exports to the UK is £3.2 billion; the value of UK exports to Bangladesh is £811 million.

The UK was the third largest investor in Bangladesh in 2019; the UK is Bangladesh’s third largest export market.