Play store
The United Kingdom will continue to provide duty-free market access to 92% of Bangladeshi products even after Bangladesh graduates from the least developed country (LDC) category, including ready-made garments, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook said on Sunday.
Currently, 99.8% of Bangladeshi products enjoy duty-free access to the UK market. The facility will continue for three years after Bangladesh’s LDC graduation, after which duty-free access will remain available for 92% of products, she said.
Cook made the remarks while speaking on the second day of the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026 at a hotel in Dhaka.
The British high commissioner described Bangladesh as a strategic and trusted partner, saying bilateral relations had evolved into a more modern and strategic partnership reflecting the country’s growing role on the global stage.
She said strong people-to-people links remained at the heart of the relationship between the two countries.
“Bangladesh and the UK have strong economic ties,” Cook said, adding that the UK is one of Bangladesh’s major sources of investment.
British companies have contributed to Bangladesh’s economic transformation and created significant employment across sectors including finance, fashion, education and energy, she said.
As Bangladesh prepares to graduate from the LDC category, the UK’s key objective is to make the transition smooth and sustainable, Cook said.
She highlighted the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme as one of the world’s simplest and most generous trade preference schemes.
Cook also identified security cooperation as another important area of bilateral partnership, built on mutual trust and shared objectives.
She said the two countries share an interest in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and recognised Bangladesh’s responsibilities and role in the Bay of Bengal, which she described as a region of growing strategic importance.
