PRESS RELEASE : UK backs Bangladesh’s democratic recovery as Minister meets Interim Government [November 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 November 2024.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific arrives in Bangladesh, marking the first UK ministerial visit to the country since the formation of the Interim Government.

• The one-day visit will include key meetings with the Chief Adviser and Foreign Affairs Adviser, as well as political and business leaders and civil society.
• Rohingya refugees and the communities which host them in Bangladesh will receive essential assistance and services through new UK funding.
• Bangladeshis affected by natural disasters this year will also receive UK funded assistance.

The UK shows support for Bangladesh today (16 November) as Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West meets counterparts in the Interim Government for the first time.

Since the establishment of the Interim Government in August 2024, the UK has been clear in its support for Interim Government’s work on accountability and creating a pathway to an inclusive democratic future for Bangladesh.

During her visit to Dhaka, Minister West will discuss the UK’s ongoing support for political and economic reforms, security, trade cooperation and UK-Bangladesh migration with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.

She will meet with student leaders and political parties to discuss the UK’s support for Bangladesh’s democratic recovery, and with business leaders to discuss how the UK government can continue to create strong ties and boost mutually beneficial trade and investment.

The recently announced UK funding has already provided food to 200,000 Rohingya refugees for a three-month period. It will now provide further support to Rohingya refugees with clean water, hygiene and sanitation services, primary healthcare, protection services and shelter materials. It will also provide assistance to those impacted by natural disasters in Bangladesh earlier this year.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West said

“The UK supports the Interim Government’s work to build a more prosperous and democratic future for the Bangladeshi people.

“I am proud to announce new UK funding to support Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi communities which host them with essential services and assistance.”

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke Said

“I am delighted to welcome UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West to Bangladesh. This visit will deepen and broaden the UK’s economic and security partnership with Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh is currently undergoing a transformation, and as a longstanding friend, the UK will assist in the economic and political reforms which will help Bangladesh to continue its social and economic growth as it moves towards an inclusive and democratic future.”

Protests over the summer saw shocking loss of life and injuries. The UK’s support following this has included the deployment of a specialised medical team to care for some of those more critically wounded during protests over the summer.

Notes to Editors/Background only

The £10.3m of new UK support is intended to provide:

• Clean water, hygiene and sanitation support for up to 11,000 Rohingya refugees, delivered by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
• Primary healthcare for 8,000 Rohingya refugees; and support to address housing, land and property issues in the Rohingya refugee camps and the communities which host them. This will be delivered by an NGO consortium that includes Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), International Rescue Committee (IRC), Danish Refugee Council and Humanity and Inclusion (HI).
• Protection services and shelter materials for Rohingya refugees, delivered by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).
• Assistance to support communities recover from natural disasters in Bangladesh earlier this year, as requested in the humanitarian appeal launched by the UN in September.
• The funding has already provided food to 200,000 Rohingya refugees per month for three months earlier this year, delivered by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP).

Since 2017, the UK has provided £401 million to support the Rohingya refugees and communities which host them in Bangladesh with essential assistance and services.

A UK Emergency Medical Team (EMT) is in Bangladesh to provide specialised medical treatment to students more critically injured during the July-August 2024 protests. This deployment is taking place in response to formal requests from Interim Government of Bangladesh.