British Cabinet Minister and Chairman of the Conservative Party, Richard Holden MP, has extended congratulations to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her fourth consecutive term in office following the 12th Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh. The congratulatory remarks were made during an event at the House of Lords, attended by Baroness Sandy Verma, President of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on India (Trade and Investment), and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, Saida Muna Tasneem.
The event, organized by the Bangladesh High Commission in London, commemorated the 52nd anniversary of the historic visit of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to the United Kingdom on January 8, 1972. During this visit, Bangabandhu had meetings with then Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath and then Leader of the Opposition and two-time Prime Minister Sir Harold Wilson.
Minister Holden described Bangabandhu’s visit as a milestone in establishing diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and the UK. He acknowledged Bangabandhu’s lifelong struggle for the rights of the Bengali people, his imprisonment, and his leadership in achieving Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.
Several Members of Parliament (MPs) and Lords present at the event also congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her fourth term and praised Bangladesh’s remarkable growth and development under her leadership. High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem highlighted the significance of commemorating Bangabandhu’s January 8 visit to strengthen Bangladesh-UK relations.
High Commissioner of India in the UK, Vikram K Doraiswami, and Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trade and Investment, Lord Boateng, were among the special guests who expressed admiration for Bangabandhu’s leadership and the positive trajectory of Bangladesh’s democracy, growth, and development under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Eminent members of the British-Bangladeshi community shared fond memories of Bangabandhu’s historic visit during the event, contributing to the commemoration of this significant moment in Bangladesh-UK relations.
