British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke visits CHT to observe UK-supported health and education programs for indigenous communities. Photo : collected

DHAKA, Sept 17, 2025 (BSS) - British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke visited the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) to observe the impact of UK-funded health and education programmes aimed at improving the lives of marginalised and indigenous communities in the region.

During the two-day visit on September 15-16, she travelled to Khagrachari and Rangamati, where she witnessed how UK support delivered in partnership with Bangladesh, the United Nations, and local organisations has enhanced maternal and child health services, said a British High Commission press release here today. 

During her visit to local health centres, Cooke observed how UK assistance is helping mothers to deliver babies safely, access family planning services and benefit from life-saving cervical cancer screening, many for the first time.

She also reviewed UK-funded education initiatives that are supporting government schools and providing catch-up learning opportunities for previously out-of-school children, particularly girls, to reintegrate into mainstream education.

"I'm delighted to visit the Chattogram Hill Tracts for the first time as High Commissioner. I've really enjoyed seeing the beautiful natural landscape as well as the warmth and hospitality of the people," Cooke said.

"I am proud that, through our partnership with the Government of Bangladesh and our UN and local partners, the UK has supported marginalised and indigenous communities to access improved health services and education in some of the most remote parts of the country," she added.

According to the British High Commission, between 2020 and 2024, UK-funded health programmes implemented by UNFPA enabled more than 12,000 safe births through trained midwives and provided cervical cancer screening for over 8,000 women.

Meanwhile, the UK-supported Educate the Most Disadvantaged Children programme, implemented by UNICEF has helped thousands of children in the Hill Tracts return to school. 

In Bandarban alone, over 2,700 children, about half of them girls, have been able to continue formal education with UK assistance.

The UK reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive development in Bangladesh, underscoring its support for indigenous communities and minority groups in the CHT and across the country, with the aim of ensuring that 'no one is left behind.'