This relationship has been underpinned by a succession of high-level engagements between the two countries.
In December 2007 the UK’s Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, visited Bangladesh, highlighting the UK’s partnership with Bangladesh on development assistance, disaster preparedness and funding for adaptation to climate change.
In February 2008 David Miliband, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Bangladesh, underlining the UK’s support for the process of preparing for elections and building enduring democracy and furthering joint interests on a range of issues including countering climate change and extremism. He described the bilateral relationship as having attained “new heights”.
The UK’s Secretary of State for the Home Department, Jacqui Smith, visited Bangladesh in April 2008, developing further bilateral co-operation on counter-terrorism and migration.
In March 2008, Prime Minister Gordon Brown met Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s Caretaker Government, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, and described a “thriving strategic partnership of equals”.
In June 2008, Shahid Malik, Minister for International Development with responsibility for South Asia, visited Bangladesh to discuss the UK's development relationship (as the largest grant donor in Bangladesh) and highlight achievements and future joint plans in vital areas such as adaptation to climate change, education, governance and rights. He also discussed the UK's role in responding to global food supply issues and underlined the UK's support to processes for strengthening democracy in Bangladesh.
In July/August 2008 the UK's Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, visited Dhaka and Sylhet to discuss issues connected to the British-Bangladeshi community in the UK, and to see the UK's role in Development.
In October 2008, Lord Mark Malloch Brown, UK Minister of State for Asia, Africa and UN visited Bangladesh and underlined the UK's support for full participation in elections and strengthening democracy thereafter.
