Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwe is arriving in Dhaka on Thursday (November 20, 2025) for a five-day visit. During the visit, she will hold meetings with high-level Bangladesh government officials and various stakeholders. The Secretary-General will be in the capital from November 20 to 24. The visit comes ahead of Bangladesh’s national elections scheduled for February 2026.
In Dhaka, Secretary-General Shirley Botchwe will meet with the Interim Government’s Principal Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, political party leaders, the Chief Election Commissioner, the High Commissioner and other representatives. During the meetings, she will also brief stakeholders on the Commonwealth’s new strategic plan. One of the three key pillars of this plan is democracy.
Ahead of the visit, Secretary-General Shirley Botchwe described Bangladesh as a valued member of the Commonwealth. He said, “The Commonwealth was the first organization that Bangladesh joined after independence. The Commonwealth and Bangladesh have a strong partnership, which has become even more important in the run-up to the national elections next year.”
He wished the people of Bangladesh well as they prepare to exercise their right to vote, and reiterated the Commonwealth’s full support for Bangladesh’s democratic journey.
