Rushanara appointed as UK trade envoy for Bangladesh

Rushanara Ali

British Prime Minister David Cameron on the occasion of Bangla New Year has selected Rushanara Ali, a Bangladeshi-origin British lawmaker, to join the cross-party Trade Envoy network as trade envoy for Bangladesh.

Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, will play a pivotal role in building ties between Bangladesh and UK to raise awareness of business and investment opportunities, and further enhance the collaboration between British and Bangladeshi companies, the British High Commission in Dhaka said in a press statement today.

The UK is the largest investor in Bangladesh and has a deep and longstanding relationship with the country, and Rushanara Ali will use her experience of the markets to help address climate change concerns and share the UK’s expertise on labour standards to support Bangladesh’s garments industry, the statement also read.

“I am delighted that at the start of the new Bengali year, the prime minister has appointed Rushanara Ali MP as the UK’s Trade Envoy for Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s economy is growing impressively and there are exciting opportunities here for British companies. Our companies have world class export potential and Ms Ali will be an excellent champion for British business in Bangladesh. I and my team are looking forward to working with Ms Ali to further strengthen the long and friendly relationship between the UK and Bangladesh,” said British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Alison Blake.

"I am delighted to have been appointed to this cross-party role as the UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh. The UK and Bangladesh have historic and long-standing ties. Bangladesh has been identified by UKTI as an emerging market with substantial trade and investment opportunities,” said Rushanara Ali, on her appointment as trade envoy for Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh is a country of particular importance to me: a third of my constituents have Bangladeshi heritage and I was the first person of Bangladeshi origin to be elected to the UK Parliament. I want to see Britain play a twin role helping Bangladesh thrive economically and supporting the country's efforts to tackle the threat of climate change,” she added.

The cross-party trade envoy programme was established in 2012 to build bilateral trade relationships and help drive economic growth in countries identified as key markets for the UK.

There are currently 24 Members of Parliament and Peers from across the political spectrum working as trade tnvoys covering over 50 different markets.

Rushanara Ali is the Labour Party MP for the constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow. In her Parliamentary career, she has been Shadow Minister for Education and International Development and a member of the Parliamentary Treasury Select Committee. She currently serves as a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee for Energy and Climate Change.