British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has lauded Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a “role model” and a great source of inspiration for him.
“My wife and two daughters are your fans,” Sunak told Hasina during a 35-minute bilateral meeting they held on Friday at the Marlborough House of the The Commonwealth Secretariat here.
This was the first meeting of the two prime ministers after Sunak took office last year. Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem briefed reporters after the meeting. PM’s Speech Writer M Nazrul Islam was also present during the briefing.
Hasina is in now London to attend the coronation of King Charles III.
According to the high commissioner Sunak praised Bangladesh’s economic growth and Hasina’s leadership.
Sunak wanted to know the secret behind the achievement of such a high economic growth before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
The envoy said that Sunak told the meeting that he has been following Bangladesh Prime Minister for so many years.
“You are such a successful economic leader, ” Muna quoted Sunak as telling his Bangladesh counterpart.
She said the British PM praised the economic growth in Bangladesh under Hasina’s leadership.
She also said Sunak considers PM Hasina as a role model.
The high commissioner said Dhaka-London ties are excellent.
“Political, diplomatic and economic relations are excellent and the relationship between the two countries is based on mutual trust,” she said.
“Rishi Sunak himself said that our relationship is very good. We have a wonderful relationship of 50 years. (In the future) it will be better,” said the envoy.
Saida Muna said, Britain attaches great importance to Bangladesh relations. Heads of state and government from 130 countries have come to the UK to attend the King’s coronation.
“Among them, Rishi Sunak has held bilateral meetings with the heads of state and government of only 7 countries. Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was among them. Which is very important diplomatically and politically,” said Muna.
During the meeting the two PMs discussed various bilateral and regional issues, including the Rohingyas who have been forced out of Myanmar to take refuge in Bangladesh.
The envoy said, “Rishi Sunak mentioned that Bangladesh is carrying this huge burden, and Britain understands that it is a big problem.”
Sheikh Hasina thanked the British prime minister and people for their support to the Rohingya issue. She also said that Rohingyas have become a big security threat.
She invited Sunak to visit Bangladesh to see the condition of the Rohingyas, the citizens of Myanmar.
Sunak praised Hasina’s leadership also on the issue of climate change issue.
PM Hasina said British companies should make bigger investment in Bangladesh.
Hasina congratulated Sunak on becoming the first British prime minister of Asian origin at such a young age.
“We like to see such kind of young people. You are a great example of what youth can do,” she said.
Hasina briefed the British leader about her government’s Ashrayan project under which seven lakh families have so far got homes along with lands.
Sunak highly praised the Ashrayan project.
Muna said that the two leaders discussed business relation between the two countries.
She mentioned that Sunak was keen to increase the economic and trade relationship between the two countries.
