British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke met Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman at Bangladesh Bank headquarters in Dhaka today. Photo :High Commission

DHAKA, May 7, 2026 (BSS) - The United Kingdom (UK) today reaffirmed its strong commitment to supporting Bangladesh in modernizing its financial 
sector, strengthening governance, and recovering laundered assets during a meeting between British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke and 
Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman.

The meeting, held at the headquarters of Bangladesh Bank in the city, centered on expanding bilateral cooperation in financial reforms, 
institutional capacity building, and technological modernization of Bangladesh's central bank, said a press release.

High Commissioner Cooke reiterated the UK government's commitment to helping Bangladesh Bank transform into a modern, technology-driven, and resilient 
central bank capable of meeting emerging global financial challenges.

The UK side emphasized continued cooperation in several priority areas, including modernization of payment systems, human resource development, and 
implementation of key financial sector reforms such as the Bank Resolution Act.

A key focus of the discussions was combating money laundering and accelerating efforts to recover assets illegally transferred abroad.

Both sides agreed to strengthen collaboration with relevant UK authorities to trace, identify, and repatriate stolen assets.

The British High Commissioner also discussed cooperation ahead of the upcoming Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Mutual Evaluation, underscoring 
the UK's support for Bangladesh's efforts to align with international standards on anti-money laundering and financial transparency.

The meeting further highlighted joint initiatives to prevent illegal migration and visa fraud, including digital verification of bank statements 
submitted during visa processing.

Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman thanked the UK for its continued support to Bangladesh's development and financial sector modernization efforts. 

He reaffirmed Bangladesh Bank's commitment to ensuring good governance and building a cashless society through a stronger digital payment ecosystem.

Among others present at the meeting were Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Dr. Habibur Rahman, Stolen Asset Recovery Consultant Farhanul Ghani Chowdhury, 
and representatives from the British High Commission, including Emma Wind and Isam Musaddeq.