The scheduled meeting between Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dominic Raab could not be held on Thursday due to Raab's sudden visit to Doha to hold talks with leaders of Qatar on the Afghanistan situation.

The British Foreign Minister expressed regret to his Bangladesh counterpart personally for the sudden change in his schedules.

"Yes, he did (regret)," Foreign Minister Dr Momen told UNB when asked about the latest development.

Dominic Raab is in Qatar to discuss ways to allow more British nationals and Afghan allies to leave Afghanistan.

Evacuation flights from Afghanistan could resume "in the near future", the UK's foreign secretary says, after talks with leaders in Qatar.

He is likely to visit other neighbouring countries of Afghanistan.

The new date of the meeting between Dr Momen and Raab to chart a post-Brexit and post-Covid new strategic partnership vision will be shared later after finding it convenient to both sides.

Britain was one of the first countries in Europe to recognise Bangladesh’s independence on Feb 4, 1972.

The visit of Dr Momen is significant as it would provide an opportunity to set the tone for Bangladesh CVF Presidency’s high-level participation in the upcoming COP26 scheduled in Glasgow in early November under UK’s Presidency, according to Bangladesh High Commission in London.

Read: Momen-Raab talks in London soon with focus on boosting ties

Dr Momen is likely to have a bilateral meeting with COP26 President Alok Sharma at 9 Downing Street to discuss the COP26 agenda for Bangladesh with a particular focus on loss and damage and the proposed CVF-COP26 Leaders’ Summit under Bangladesh Presidency.

Apart from the official meetings, the Foreign Minister will deliver a climate talk on “Forging a CVF-COP26 Climate Solidarity” at the UK's leading think tank Chatham House, organized jointly by Bangladesh High Commission and Chatham House.

The event will also be attended by Maldives Speaker and former President and CVF Thematic Ambassador for Ambition Mohamed Nasheed along with a number of CVF Ambassadors and High Commissioners and climate experts.

The minister will deliver a keynote speech on “Bangladesh-UK at 50:Towards a post-Brexit, post-Covid Economic Vision” at a high-profile business dialogue with British and British-Bangladesh chambers, including three mainstream chambers -- British Chambers of Commerce, London Chamber  of Commerce and Industry and Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

Bangladesh High Commission in collaboration with British-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BBCCI) is organising the event.

Dedicating to the philosophy of peace and non-violence of Bangladesh’s Founding Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and marking his birth centenary, the Foreign Minister is expected to inaugurate a peace grove in central London.

Dr Momen will visit the Bangladesh High Commission when he will officially inaugurate the Bangabandhu Library, the Centennial Portrait of Bangabandhu, the Bangabandhu Consular Week and the extended premises of Bangladesh High Commission at 27 Queens’ Gate.

He will also participate in an interactive dialogue with Bangladeshi young talented students from UK’s eminent universities.

During his UK visit, Dr Momen is expected to meet some British MPs and dignitaries at official and civic receptions and join community events, including the NRB Foundation and CAP Foundation programmes, to exchange views with expatriate Bangladeshis from the UK and Europe.