British secretary Boris Johnson due today

British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson arrives in Dhaka this afternoon on a two-day visit to discuss bilateral issues and the Rohingya crisis with top government officials.

He will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hold a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali this evening. The meeting will be concluded with a joint statement by Mahmood and Johnson. “...such a visit is taking place after a long time,” Mahmood told a press briefing at his ministry yesterday.

The visit takes place after 10 years. Former British foreign secretary David Miliband visited Dhaka in 2008.

The British official will visit Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar, and the focus of his visit would be to demonstrate UK's solidarity with Bangladesh over the Rohingya issue.

Bangladesh is eagerly waiting for a positive announcement during the British foreign secretary's visit regarding withdrawal of the UK's ban on direct air cargo flights from Dhaka to London around two years ago.

On March 8, 2016, the British government slapped the ban, citing that Biman failed to meet some international security requirements.

Johnson will depart Dhaka tomorrow.