Tarique Rahman to Meet Chief Adviser on June 13

Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the BNP, is scheduled to have a courtesy meeting with Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser of the interim government, on June 13. The meeting is expected to take place at a hotel in London.

This decision was made during a virtual meeting of the party's standing committee on Monday, June 9. The BNP's Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, is expected to officially brief the media on the matter on Tuesday.

However, two BNP standing committee members indicated that while the meeting between Tarique Rahman and Dr. Yunus is a courtesy call, the election issue will be a key topic. Several related proposals have been handed over to the acting chairman by the standing committee. Additionally, solutions to some complexities regarding reforms may also emerge from this meeting.

Earlier, the chief adviser and his entourage departed from Shahjalal International Airport around 7:30 PM on an Emirates Airlines flight for a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom.

On June 4, Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique briefed the media about the visit, stating that the chief adviser would be granted an audience with King Charles III and hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

During his visit, Professor Yunus is also expected to have courtesy meetings with the secretaries-general of the Commonwealth and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), where he will highlight Bangladesh's broader international engagements. He is scheduled to deliver a special address at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, on June 11.

The relationship between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom holds significant political importance, with deep commercial ties between the two nations. The UK is Bangladesh's second-largest trading partner and hosts the largest Bangladeshi diaspora.

Analysts believe that Dr. Yunus's visit could revitalize the relationship between the two countries. It is also hoped that areas such as economy, trade, and investment will become closer. The chief adviser is expected to return home on June 14 after concluding his visit.