State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has visited the Redbridge Town Hall, a municipal building in London, and met Councillor Roy Emmett, the mayor of Redbridge.

He was accompanied by Nahim Razzak MP, a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs as a special guest, and two senior journalists Mahfuz Mishu and Ishrat Jahan Urmi from Bangladesh delegation at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

The group was welcomed to the Town Hall by the mayor and Councillor Jas Athwal, leader of the Redbridge council, followed by a citizen engagement session at the council chambers.

Speaking about the impacts of climate change Nasrul Hamid said, "Bangladesh is one of the countries hit hardest by global warming" and called for the much-needed action from the responsible countries to tackle these damages as well as safeguard the environment.

He highlighted Bangladesh's journey towards a clean and green energy sector and the challenges of being a densely populated country.

Hamid paid tribute to the overwhelming support of the British people during Bangladesh's struggle for independence. He also emphasised the importance of continued engagement of the British Bangladeshis and exploring ways to strengthen the relationship.

Jas shared his personal story from being an immigrant child to becoming the leader of one of the most diverse boroughs in the country.

He passionately spoke about the need of creating equal opportunities for all communities and the Redbridge council's success in promoting inclusion.

Nahim talked about his experience as a young lawmaker and recalled his connection with the borough where he resided a few years during his studies.

The event was hosted by Councillor Saima Ahmed, the Women's Champion of Redbridge.

The mayor of Redbridge thanked the international guests for visiting the borough and presented mementoes from the council.

The other attendees included councillors Kam Rai, deputy leader of the council, Jamal Uddin and Namreen Chowdhury.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, a limited number of British Bangladeshi residents attended the event.

They asked questions to the chief guest about climate emergency funds, the sustainable plan to move forward and how energy can be produced without impacting the environment.