British Parliamentary Delegation in Bangladesh

A five-member British cross-party parliamentary delegation is visiting to discuss issues of mutual interest with Bangladesh leadership. The British parliamentary delegation is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gonobhaban on January 28. They are scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at State guesthouse Padma at 1 pm today(January 27).

This is the first parliamentary visit from the UK since general elections were held in Bangladesh earlier this month, said the Bangladesh High Commission in London. The five-member parliamentary delegation led by Paul Scully MP, former Conservative Minister for Tech and Digital Economy also comprises three labour MPs namely Virendra Sharma MP, Vice Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Bangladesh and Chair of APPG on Indo-British, Neil Coyle MP, Member of UK House of Commons Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, Andrew Western MP, Opposition Whip at the House of Commons and Dominic Moffitt, Senior Parliamentary Assistant at House of Commons. The delegation will be accompanied by Zillur Hussain MBE, Advisor for The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and Strategic Adviser for CWEIC and Dr Ivelina Banyalieva, CEO of Connect.

They will visit Tungipara to pay respects to Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his Mausoleum. This would be the first time, a British parliamentary delegation is visiting the Bangabandhu Mausoleum at Tungipara. During the visit, the delegation is also scheduled to call on State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam to discuss ways to further strengthen Bangladesh-UK trade, economic and Indo-Pacific partnership.

The delegation will also have a meeting with the business leaders of Bangladesh followed by visit to a green apparel factory. The delegation will also be traveling to Sylhet to visit some of leading charities established by the British-Bangladeshis in the UK.

On January 30, the delegation will be visiting the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar in reaffirmation of their support to Bangladesh’s generous hosting of the persecuted Rohingyas from Myanmar and resolution of the protracted Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh High Commission in London coordinated the visit with the British Parliamentarians and the Commonwealth business delegation by Connect.

The delegation is scheduled to depart for London on January 31.

UNB