UK PM sees Sheikh Hasina as his inspiration

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) Rishi Sunak has called Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a successful economic leader, saying, "You're an inspiration for us."

"I’ve been following you for many years. You're a successful economic leader," Bangladesh high commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem quoted Sunak as telling the Bangladesh premier during their maiden bilateral meeting at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Bilateral Meeting Room on Friday (local time).

According to Tasneem, the UK premier said both of his daughters as well as his wife are big fan of her (Sheikh Hasina) and he wished his daughters to be great leader like Sheikh Hasina.

"You're a great inspiration for my daughters," Sunak said. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina poses with her UK counterpart Rishi Sunak at the Commonwealth secretariat on 5 May, 2023.

The British prime minister highly lauded the leadership of Sheikh Hasina for Bangladesh's prosperity alongside providing shelter to Rohingyas and houses to the landless, homeless people at government expenses alongside her glorious role in various international forums including climate change.

Sunak said Bangladesh’s economic progress is remarkable referring to maintaining over six per cent economic growth during post Covid-19 pandemic period.

He described the Bangladesh prime minister as a "role model" for development. The leaders discussed various issues related to mutual benefits of the two countries while their meeting lasted for 35 minutes. "Our relation has been wonderful over the last 50 years," Sunak said, adding that the UK values the relationship with Bangladesh.

At the outset of the meeting, Sheikh Hasina congratulated Rishi Sunak on becoming the prime minister of the UK. "Coming from the Asian heritage, you’ve become a prime minister at such a young age. I feel good to see such young leadership," she said.

The Bangladesh premier said her government had already given houses to 700,000 (7 lakh) families. At the time she also sought larger investment from British companies in Bangladesh.

The British premier said, “We have enhanced business relations between the two countries." He also expressed his satisfaction over signing a joint communiqué between Dhaka and London.

Both the leaders talked about Rohingya issue as well. Sunak hailed his Bangladeshi counterpart’s humanitarian gesture for sheltering such a huge number of Rohingyas. Sheikh Hasina thanked the UK for supporting Bangladesh over the Rohingya issue.

"Rohingyas are big burden and great security threat for us," she said. Sunak said the UK understands that Rohingyas are a big burden for Bangladesh. He responded positively when the Bangladesh premier invited him to Bangladesh to see the plight of the Rohingyas. Heads of the state and government from 130 countries arrived in London to attend the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey, London.

"Sunak had meetings with only seven of them including the Bangladesh prime minister which manifests that Bangladesh has a wonderful relations with the UK in political, diplomatic and economic terms," said the Bangladesh high commissioner while briefing journalists later. The envoy said Bangladesh's bonding with the UK has reached a strategic level through economic and business relationship

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