Desk Report
Published: 12 Jan 2022, 11:58 pm
Photo: Collected
Bangladesh High
Commission in London has launched “Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award”
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman's maiden visit to the United Kingdom.
The award was
launched on Monday at an event titled “Bangabandhu in Britain: The Historic 8
January” where British ministers, cross-party senior parliamentarians,
diplomats, academics and eminent members of the British-Bangladeshi community
paid rich tributes to Bangabandhu, a press release said today, reports BSS.
Bangladesh Foreign
Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen joined as the chief guest at the juncture while UK
Conservative Party Chairman and Minister Oliver Dowden was the guest of honour
and Minister of State and Economic Secretary to Treasury Department John Glen,
MP, was the special gust.
Momen said
Bangabandhu’s maiden visit to the UK on January 8 in 1972 as the President of
Bangladesh bears an unparallel historic, geo-strategic and diplomatic
significance in the robust Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations of 2022 and
beyond.
He thanked British
Prime Minister Boris Johnson for recognising Bangabandhu's 8 January visit to
UK and Downing Street as instrumental in forging a friendship between
Bangladesh and the UK.
Bangladesh High
Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem said “Bangabandhu-Edward Heath
Friendship Award” will be given to those who would make extraordinary
contributions in promoting Bangladesh-UK friendship.
The High
Commissioner also announced the formation of an "8 January
Foundation" to promote the significance of the historic day among younger
people.
Dowden termed the
Bangabandhu’s 8 January visit to the UK and meeting with Prime Minister Sir
Edward Heath as a milestone in establishing diplomatic relations between London
and Dhaka.
"It was a
powerful symbol of the deep and enduring bonds between the UK and Bangladesh
bound by kinship, culture, and shared prosperity," he added.
Minister of State
and Economic Secretary to Treasury Department John Glen, MP, said Sheikh
Mujib's maiden visit to the UK 50 years ago and his meeting with Edward Heath
paved the way for a value-based relationship between the two countries.
Chairman of Labour
party Anneliese Dodds, Liberal Democrat Group Leader at the House of Lords Lord
Newby, Vice Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh Bob Blackman,
MP, and Chair of House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom
Tugendhat, MP, also spoke, representing Conservative, Labour and Liberal
Democratic parties.
Commonwealth
Secretary General Patricia Scotland, Director for India and Indian Ocean
Directorate at the UK FCDO Ben Mellor and High Commissioner of India to the
United Kingdom Gaitri Issar Kumar spoke as special guests while Eminent
British-Bangladeshi Community member Syed Sajidur Rahman Faruk also spoke at
the event.
The event began
with laying of floral wreaths at the life-size portrait of Bangabandhu by the
High Commissioner along with mission officers.
A documentary
produced by London mission on Bangabandhu's historic 8 January visit was shown,
the release added.
Sir Edward Richard
George Heath served as British Prime Minister from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of
the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975.