BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman met the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Sarah Cooke, this evening.

The hour-long meeting was held at the BNP Chairman’s office in Dhaka’s Gulshan, where a range of issues were discussed.

After spending nearly a decade and a half in exile in London, Tarique returned to the country in December last year. This was his first meeting with the UK high commissioner since his return.

BNP sources said that if the party forms the government in the future, Tarique plans to hold further discussions with ambassadors on development priorities.

The talks also focused on ways to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation across different sectors.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Joint Secretary General Humayun Kabir, Chairperson’s Adviser Mahadi Amin, and International Affairs Secretary Rashedul Haque were present at the meeting.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Humayun said that despite it being a weekly holiday, the UK high commissioner, along with the ambassadors of Nepal and Bhutan, met the BNP chairperson.

He said the meetings were held in a cordial atmosphere.

He added that the diplomats shared the views of their respective governments during the discussions.

“Since his historic return on December 25, we have been saying that there is growing international interest around him. In that context, he is meeting ambassadors and high commissioners from different countries,” Humayun said.

“During the meeting, he has made it clear that relations with other countries will be built by prioritising national interests and safeguarding bilateral friendship,” he added.

Earlier in the afternoon, Nepal’s Ambassador Ghanshyam Bhandari and Bhutan’s Ambassador Dasho Karma Hamu Dorjee separately met the BNP chief.