DHAKA, Feb 07, 2024 (BSS) – United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed his commitment to enhance bilateral economic and security partnership to support Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status.

 “I am writing to underline my commitment to strengthen the growing economic and security partnership between our countries and to support Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status,” he said in a letter to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

 Sunak said he wrote the letter “as you embark on a historic fifth term and reflecting Bangladesh’s impressive development gains under your leadership in recent years”.

“Our partnership is based on a deep shared history and friendship, underpinned by strong people-to-people ties,” the British premier’s letter read.

He expected Bangladesh can move forward with reconciliation in political life together with progress on rights and freedoms and “these values are the cornerstone of the Commonwealth family and create vibrant democratic societies which attract the inward investment needed for economic growth”.

The British premier particularly saw cooperation on migration as an “important part of our bilateral agenda” and acknowledged her endorsement of a “sustainable and streamlined way forward to return those Bangladeshi nationals in the United Kingdom illegally”.

Sunak said he anticipated seeing that arrangement finalised as part of our wider agenda of mutual cooperation.

“I look forward to working with you to continue to build on and develop still further our countries’ important and historic relationship,” said Rishi Sunak.