UK’s International Development Minister Lord Bates concludes visit to Bangladesh
Lord Bates visits UK supported projects in Dhaka and Savar to see how UK aid is making a difference to people's lives.
UK's International Minister Lord Bates visits Government Primary School in Savar to see how UK aid is making a difference to people’s lives.
The Rt Hon Lord Bates, the UK’s Minister of State at the Department for International Development, has concluded his three-day visit to Bangladesh. During his stay, he visited UK supported projects in Dhaka and Savar, including two government-run primary schools and a BRAC-run pre-primary school, to see first-hand how UKaid is making a difference to people’s lives. He also visited a teacher resource centre, where he met head teachers undertaking leadership training. Lord Bates met with the Hon Finance Minister AMA Muhith and the Acting Secretaries and Senior Team at the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
A discussion on primary education was held at DFID offices with representatives from relevant government ministries, donors and NGOs. The minister also met with UN and NGO partners to discuss humanitarian issues (including Rohingya refugees), and disaster preparedness and response in Bangladesh.
As he departed Bangladesh, the Rt Hon Lord Bates said:
I was extremely pleased to visit Bangladesh on my first visit as a DFID Minister. Bangladesh is one of the great development success stories in Asia and shows us how well aid can help transform a country. Bangladesh has made fantastic improvements to education with UK support.
Having seen the improvements to education first hand over the last few days, visiting schools, meeting with Government Ministers and talking to teachers and pupils, it is clear that UK aid is making a positive difference to the lives of many Bangladeshis.
Bangladesh continues to face challenges and I look forward to working together on this shared agenda in the coming years. There is a mutual ambition to strengthen the growing relationship between our two countries, and now more than ever, we can be proud of this positive example of Global Britain.
Further Information
- The UK invests heavily in Bangladesh’s development, allocating £158m in 2016/17. UK support over the last 5 years has, amongst other things, helped to lift 1.5 million Bangladeshi citizens out of extreme poverty; provided access to safe water for 2.5 million people; provided over 1.1 million of children under five and pregnant women with nutritional supplement and ensured 530,000 children (57% girls) access primary education.
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Dhaka - 1212
Dhaka
Bangladesh
Email: Dhaka.Press@fco.gov.uk
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