Speakers at a virtual event of celebration on Friday night highly appreciated Bangladesh’s remarkable journey with its rapidly growing economy and described how Bangladesh becomes an inspiration for other countries around the world. Terming Bangladesh a “huge development success story”, they highlighted the efforts that transformed people’s lives and recalled the role of Bangladesh on climate issues being at the forefront of innovation apart from Bangladesh’s greater contribution to global peace and stability. The speakers depicted a brighter future of Bangladesh-UK relations and appreciated Bangladesh’s generosity in hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas despite its own socioeconomic challenges. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, MP, Minister for South Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Lord Ahmad, Chair of the APPG on Bangladesh and UK’s Trade Envoy for Bangladesh Rushanara Ali MP and Development Director at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Bangladesh Judith Herbertson, among others, spoke at the commemorative event titled “Bangladesh-UK at 50: A Friendship in Prosperity.” Bangladesh High Commission in London hosted the event to mark the 50 years of establishment of Bangladesh-United Kingdom diplomatic relations with High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem in the chair. Speaking at the function, State Minister Shahriar Alam, on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, reiterated their abiding commitment to embolden the shared values with the UK, strengthen the fundamental pillars of the historic relations and carry forward the robust political, economic, security and climate partnerships into the next 50 years. Fifty years ago, the UK's recognition of the new State of Bangladesh was geo-politically significant – a move that encouraged other Western countries to follow suit at the height of the Cold War, he said.