Diplomatic Desk:
UK High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook met with Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir.
The meeting was held at the Commerce Minister’s office at the Secretariat on Monday (March 2, 2026) morning.
The meeting discussed in detail the prospects of further strengthening the existing trade relations between the two countries and investment in new sectors.
Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said that Bangladesh wants to work with the UK to ensure mutual benefits through the development of effective and sustainable economic relations.
He said that UK investment is needed to modernize and increase production in Sylhet’s tea industry. There is huge potential for investment in the tea gardens of the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. The UK has past experience of investing in the tea industry in Bangladesh. Increasing investment in this sector will increase new employment opportunities and at the same time develop the tourism industry.
The Commerce Minister said that fertilizer factories in Bangladesh do not operate throughout the year due to gas shortage. Foreign investors are needed to start a fertilizer factory through LPG throughout the year. He also called on the UK to invest in fertilizer factories as well as in the country’s growing information and communication technology sector.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook expressed her determination to take forward the long-standing partnership trade relations between the two countries. She expressed her interest in assisting officials associated with the Trade Negotiation Pool of the Ministry of Commerce to enhance their skills.
The UK High Commissioner showed special interest in investing in Sylhet’s tea gardens, seafood, leather processing, export diversification and light engineering industries. She said that UK investors are interested in working in these sectors.
State Minister for Commerce Md. Shariful Alam, Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce Mahbubur Rahman and Additional Secretary (Export) Md. Abdur Rahim Khan were present at the time.
