UK minister Alan Duncan arrives

UK Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan arrived in Dhaka yesterday for a three-day visit to discuss challenges faced by workers and businesses in the garment industry, with government, opposition leaders and other stakeholders.
The minister will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia, said a press release.
He will meet many of those involved in the garment supply chain, including retail buyers and workers, as the UK encourages parties to agree a way forward.
During the visit, the minister will also assess the latest progress made by UK aid towards promoting economic prosperity and development in Bangladesh.
The UK supports the government of Bangladesh's aim to achieve middle income status within the next decade and backs this up by being the largest bilateral grant donor in the country, with an aid programme which will directly help millions of the poorest people, said the release.
The aid programme is the UK's fourth largest country development programme. However, recent incidents highlighted a number of risks to the pace of development.
This is Duncan's third visit to Bangladesh.