British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke on Tuesday said instability in the Middle East continues to reverberate far beyond the region, shaping global energy markets, disrupting shipping routes and driving price volatility that affects households and industries from London to Dhaka. 

“Today, the international system is under acute strain,” she said, noting that foreign policy must deliver security and prosperity at home, while upholding the rules-based international system. 

That formulation may sound familiar, but the world in which it must be delivered has changed profoundly, the High Commissioner said at “DCAB Talk” hosted by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the Jatiya Press Club.

Education cornerstone of Bangladesh-UK partnership: Sarah Cooke

DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Secretary Emrul Kayesh also spoke at the event where the High Commissioner described the relationship between Bangladesh and the UK as ‘modern and strategic.’

High Commissioner Cooke said freedom of navigation, particularly through critical chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, is therefore not simply a regional security concern, but a global economic imperative.

She said Bangladesh has felt these shocks directly through energy prices, transport costs and supply chain disruption, underlining how closely their economic interests are now connected.

“Disruption to food and energy markets has fuelled inflationary pressure across developing and emerging economies, including Bangladesh,” said the High Commissioner.

She said the credible reports of Bangladeshi migrant workers being deceived and exploited in the conflict add a deeply human dimension to this war.

Against this backdrop, High Commissioner Cooke said, the UK’s foreign policy will be integrated, long-term and anchored in national interest - combining diplomacy with credible defence, economic resilience, and strong partnerships. 

“The relationship between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh is deep, broad and forward-looking,” she said, noting that it spans democracy and governance, trade and investment, climate leadership, security cooperation, migration and joint action on global and regional challenges that affect them both.

The British envoy said Bangladesh is a key partner with whom they work to strengthen resilience, support growth and uphold the rules and norms on which stability depends. 

For Bangladesh, she said, the UK remains committed to be a ‘predictable, long-term partner’ as the country continues its remarkable transformation.

The High Commissioner said today the bilateral and the global cannot be separated as global events increasingly shape outcomes here in Bangladesh, just as Bangladesh’s choices and trajectory increasingly resonate far beyond its borders.

Modern, Strategic Relationship

She said the United Kingdom and Bangladesh have a very long history of partnership - rooted in their shared values, strong people-to-people ties and mutual respect.

Bangladesh diaspora, 650,000 strong, plays an important role in the UK economy, society and cultural connection including through mutual love of cricket.

“And the relationship has never stood still. It has evolved in step with Bangladesh’s own remarkable transformation and with a changing international environment,” said the British envoy.

“Today, as Bangladesh has transformed, so has our partnership. It has evolved into a modern, strategic relationship. Our relationship now spans political dialogue, trade and investment, climate leadership,” said the High Commissioner, noting that they are strengthening their defence and security cooperation, tackling illegal migration, and collaborating on regional challenges such as the Rohingya refugee crisis.

As one of the largest investors in Bangladesh, High Commissioner Cooke said the UK is a reliable, long-term economic partner. 

The UK’s trade preference regime, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, is widely regarded as one of the most simple and generous in the world.  

Bangladesh currently benefits from duty-free access to the UK market on 99.8% of product lines. 

Following graduation, the High Commissioner said, there will be a three- year transition period after which 92% of product lines - including ready-made garments - will remain duty free.  “This is good for Bangladesh and it is good for UK consumers, who benefit from lower prices.”

She said they are also working to support economic reforms and cut red tape.

British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution, is investing £450 million between 2022 and 2026 in job creating and innovative companies, including SMEs and women led enterprises.

Alongside this, High Commissioner Cooke said the United Kingdom is committed to supporting Bangladesh’s efforts to strengthen economic governance and tackle illicit finance.

Since June 2025, the UK has frozen over £250 million in assets in the UK linked to Bangladeshi individuals, underlining their determination to uphold the rule of law and the integrity of the international financial system.

“The United Kingdom will also host an Illicit Finance Summit in London this June,” said the High Commissioner, noting that the Summit will bring together international partners to strengthen cooperation, share expertise and advance collective action against illicit finance.

“We hope to welcome the Finance Minister of Bangladesh to London for this important gathering,” she said.