First defence dialogue with UK today

Bangladesh and the UK will hold the first-ever defence dialogue in Dhaka today, as the two countries seek to take the bilateral relationship to a strategic level, amid security concerns in various parts of the world.

Apart from defence purchases, capacity building of armed forces, cooperation in UN peacekeeping, the war in Ukraine, regional cooperation, including the situation in Myanmar and Afghanistan, will be discussed, said officials at the foreign ministry and UK foreign office.

Brig Gen Husain Muhammad Masihur Rahman, director-general of operations and Plan Directorate of Bangladesh Armed Forces Division (AFD), will lead Bangladesh's side, while Trish Wilson, director (Indo-Pacific) at the UK Ministry of Defence, will lead the UK at the dialogue, to be held at the capital's Alliance Française de Dhaka.

A foreign ministry official said Bangladesh will stress enhancing UK-Bangladesh relationship to a strategic level as the country graduates out of LDC by 2026.

"We want to improve our political and trade relationship, instead of traditional development relationship," he said.

Also, as Bangladesh is working to harness the potential of its maritime boundary, it will need various equipment, including naval ships. The UK can be an important partner towards this end, he said.

UK High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson said Bangladesh and UK have a long defence relationship.

He said the UK would prioritise three issues in the dialogue. First is international security concerns, followed by capacity building of Bangladesh Armed Forces and the sales of UK defence equipment to Bangladesh to achieve its Forces Goal 2030.