Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to strengthen ties between the UK and Bangladesh.

The UK was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh's independence in 1971, celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations in February 2022. We continue to expand the UK/Bangladesh ties, including on trade and investment, defence and security, people-to-people links and cooperation on Rohingya and climate. Bangladesh is a key trading partner in the region, with UK-Bangladesh trade totalling $4.5 billion per year. Last year, we provided £75 million of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Bangladesh. As Bangladesh works toward graduation from Least Developed Country status in 2026, the UK is proud to stand as a close partner, strengthening ties and building on our shared interests.