British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke has reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s economic transformation and aviation growth, emphasizing the UK’s readiness to help the country achieve its ambition of becoming a regional aviation hub.
“We want to help Bangladesh realize its ambitions to become a regional aviation hub,” Cooke said while addressing an event titled “European Dialogue on Bangladesh Aviation Growth” held at the French Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The event was also attended by French Ambassador-designate Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, German Ambassador Rüdiger Lotz, and EU Ambassador Michael Miller.
Highlighting the UK’s longstanding partnership with Bangladesh, the envoy noted that Britain remains one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment (FDI) and a key export market for the South Asian nation. She added that under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), Bangladeshi exports will continue to enjoy duty-free access to the UK market until 2029, with extended benefits expected thereafter.
Cooke said British companies such as Standard Chartered, HSBC, Unilever, and leading UK retailers have created thousands of jobs in Bangladesh. She also mentioned ongoing partnerships with the Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA), Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue (NBR), and the Ministry of Commerce to improve the business environment and boost economic resilience.
Referring to the UK’s global leadership in aerospace, she said, “Airbus is one of our largest civil aerospace companies, exemplifying both the best of British innovation and international collaboration.”
Cooke expressed optimism about strengthening bilateral trade ties through partnerships that support Bangladesh’s aviation ambitions, recalling the UK-Bangladesh Aviation Trade and Investment Partnership Communiqué, signed in May 2023, as a milestone in bilateral cooperation.
She also highlighted the need for a “mixed fleet strategy” for Biman Bangladesh Airlines to enhance both operational efficiency and commercial value — drawing parallels with successful models in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan.
Concluding her remarks, the British envoy extended best wishes to Airbus in its ongoing engagements in Bangladesh, saying the company represents “international collaboration bringing together expertise and innovation from across Europe to help support Bangladesh’s aspirations to become a regional aviation hub.”
