Shahjalal Airport: Bangladesh, UK to jointly assess security
Bangladesh and the United Kingdom have agreed to assess together aviation security at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for the resumption of direct cargo flights from Dhaka to London.
They came up with the agreement at the first-ever Bangladesh-UK Strategic Dialogue held in Dhaka yesterday.
The UK delegation led by Simon McDonald, permanent under-secretary and head of the diplomatic service for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, expressed its willingness to provide necessary assistance regarding the matter.
From the Bangladesh side, a team led by Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque conveyed its readiness to assess what is further needed to improve the security situation at the Dhaka airport and accordingly draw up an action plan.
Once all the necessary things are put in place, the UK will take steps for the resumption of UK-bound direct cargo flights from Dhaka, according to a joint statement issued after the dialogue.
Both the countries also agreed that countering terrorism requires global collaboration since addressing the root causes and upholding respect for the rule of law and international human rights commitments are imperative in doing so.
Bangladesh and the UK condemned the recent terrorist attacks they saw at home and expressed sympathies for the victims.
The UK appreciated the huge burden that Bangladesh has been bearing in hosting a significant number of Muslims who had fled sectarian violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar.
The issue calls for a permanent solution, delegates from both the sides said.
Regarding the issuance of UK visa to Bangladeshi applicants, the UK delegation spoke in favour of expanding 3-5 day priority visa services from June 2017. A move has already been made to make decisions on visa applications from the UK instead of New Delhi.
The UK welcomed Bangladesh's commitment to taking back its citizens who no longer have the right to stay in the UK.
Bangladesh gave an assurance that it would take steps to expedite their repatriation.
At the dialogue, the delegations shared the two nations' commitment to achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
As the UK prepares to leave the EU, UK's relationship with Bangladesh will matter even more, McDonald said.
“The UK and Bangladesh have a close relationship and annual Strategic Dialogues will allow us to deepen our cooperation across security, prosperity and economic development.”
Shahidul Haque said Bangladesh attaches great importance to its relations with the UK and that two countries enjoy long-standing historic ties based on shared values and common aspirations for peace and prosperity.