Ensure conducive business environment in Bangladesh: British MP Rushanara Ali

British Parliament Member Rushanara Ali today urged the Bangladesh government to ensure further advancement of a conducive business environment for the investors.

Ali, also the UK prime minister's trade envoy to Bangladesh, made the call in a meeting with Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Robert Chatterton Dickson, the UK high commissioner to Bangladesh, was also present at the meeting held at Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) building, said a press release.

Talking to the media, Ali said the UK-Bangladesh relation now stands in a strong position and thus the development of trade relations between the two countries is very crucial.

"There are many areas to work together on trade and investment with Bangladesh and we want to take this relationship to a new height," she said.

Mentioning that there are many British companies in Bangladesh, she also said many more companies are showing interest in conducting their business in the country.

Ali said Bangladesh, like the United Kingdom, has suffered in many cases due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Bangladesh's economy is rapidly returning to normal and the overall situation is slowly improving.

Ali also urged the government to ensure a favourable environment for foreign investors at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Briefing media, Rahman said the UK investors are willing to increase the volume of investment in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh government is working to ensure a conducive business environment for investors, he said. "We have already launched One-Stop Service Centre through Bangladesh Investment Development Authority. We also provide digital online services. The environment is slowly improving."

"I also informed her (Rushnara) that we are constructing a third terminal to ensure international standard airport service and construction of the terminal will be completed by next year," Rahman said.

Various bilateral issues including the ways of increasing trade and investment were also discussed in the meeting, according to the press release.