British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh James Goldman met with Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo at the ministry office in Dhaka today. Photo: Ministry

DHAKA, May 12, 2026 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo today said Bangladesh highly values its longstanding bilateral and friendly relations with the United Kingdom (UK).

He made the remarks during a meeting with British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh James Goldman at the ministry office in Dhaka, according to a ministry press release. 

State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam was present at the meeting.

During the meeting, the two sides held fruitful discussions on strengthening cooperation between Bangladesh and the UK in the areas of environmental protection, sustainable development, pollution control, expansion of renewable energy, carbon credit, climate financing, biodiversity conservation and the protection of the Sundarbans.

Welcoming the British Deputy High Commissioner, the environment minister said controlling pollution is one of the top priorities of the present government. 

In this regard, he said, the government is implementing multifaceted programmes to reduce air, water and waste pollution.

He also said the government is working to expedite the implementation of the waste-to-energy project in Savar. 

At the same time, he sought the UK’s cooperation in earning carbon credits from the carbon market. 

The funds generated from this sector would be used to address the adverse impacts of climate change, he added.

The minister further said the government is giving special importance to implementing a programme to plant 250 million trees over the next five years in line with its electoral commitment, strengthening conservation activities in the Sundarbans, and expanding capacity building, training and investment to tackle salinity in coastal areas.

British Deputy High Commissioner James Goldman expressed interest in further expanding ongoing cooperation with Bangladesh in the environment, forest and climate sectors and stressed the need for greater coordinated initiatives on issues of mutual interest.

Senior officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, including the Secretary and Additional Secretary (Climate Change), as well as senior officials of the British High Commission in Bangladesh, were present at the meeting.