Dhaka-London Talks: Importance of free polls discussed

Bangladesh and the United Kingdom have agreed on the importance of free and fair elections and vibrant civil society to promote accountable governance and institutions ensuring freedom of expression and religion.

The UK raised concerns reflected in the FCDO Annual Human Rights Report, including the "impact" of the Digital Security Act, political space, and extrajudicial killings, said the British High Commission in Dhaka yesterday.

The two countries held their fourth annual Strategic Dialogue on Thursday at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London and discussed the issues.

The dialogue was led by FCDO Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Philip Barton and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Masud Bin Momen.

The UK commended Bangladesh for hosting the Rohingyas who, in August 2017, fled atrocities by the Myanmar military.

The UK and Bangladesh reiterated their commitment to the goal of enabling the Rohingyas to return home in a safe, voluntary and dignified way as soon as the situation allows.

Both countries committed to working with the international community, including Asean and the UN, to resolve the crisis.

The two countries agreed to cooperate on global challenges such as conflict prevention, support for the rules based international order, and countering terrorism.

The UK-Bangladesh Strategic Dialogue provides an important forum for a productive exchange of views across the entire breadth of bilateral relations, covering political and diplomatic relations, global and regional issues, economic and development partnerships, and security and defence.

The dialogue began with both sides welcoming the opportunity to meet in-person for the first time since 2019, particularly as this year marks 50 years of independence of Bangladesh.