Staff Reporter
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke has said 92 percent of Bangladeshi products,
including ready-made garments, will retain duty-free access to the UK market after the three-year
transition period following Bangladesh's graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category.
She made the remarks while addressing the second day of the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026 at a hotel
in the capital on Sunday afternoon.
Cooke said Bangladesh currently enjoys duty-free access on 99.8 percent of its product lines in the UK
market.
The existing benefits will continue for three years after LDC graduation. After that, duty-free access will
remain available for 92 percent of products, including ready-made garments, she said.
The High Commissioner said the UK's priority is to help Bangladesh achieve a smooth and sustainable
transition from LDC status.
She described the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme as one of the world's simplest and most
generous trade preference arrangements.
Cooke said Bangladesh is a strategic and trusted partner of the UK, with bilateral relations evolving into a
more modern and strategic partnership reflecting Bangladesh's growing role on the global stage.
People-to-people ties remain one of the foundations of the partnership, she added.
Highlighting strong economic relations, she said the UK is one of Bangladesh's largest investors.
British companies across finance, fashion, education and energy are contributing to Bangladesh's
economic transformation and generating significant employment, she said.
On security cooperation, Cooke said the partnership rests on mutual trust and shared goals, including a
common interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The UK recognizes Bangladesh's role and responsibilities in the Bay of Bengal, a region of growing
strategic importance, she said.
Both countries also recognize the need for coordinated responses to economic security challenges, cyber
threats and climate-related risks, she added.
On the Rohingya crisis, Cooke reaffirmed the UK's commitment to maintaining international attention
and working towards the voluntary, safe and dignified return of the Rohingya to Myanmar when
conditions allow.
She described such repatriation as the only sustainable solution to the crisis.
Turning to climate change, the high commissioner said Bangladesh and the UK share common interests in
addressing its impacts.
Few countries understand climate risks better than Bangladesh, where rising sea levels, changing weather
patterns and extreme weather are already affecting communities, she said.
These impacts will continue across generations, she added.
The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) organized the three-day international conference.
