The minister made this call last evening here at a reception hosted in honour of the British lawmakers, members of the press and pro-Bangladesh lobbyists. British Revenue Secretary Stephen Tim was present on the occasion.

Saifur Rahman said Bangladesh is far ahead of its neighbours in South Asia in regard to its achievements in different social sectors. He recalled that Bangladesh has achieved significant progress defying all man-made and natural disasters. The country deserves appreciation and accolades, he noted.

He said it is astonishing that with a vast population of over 14 crore people the country has achieved self-sufficiency in food sector. The country has also earned marked development in the human development index (HDI). It also made progress towards meeting the objectives of the millenium development goals (MDG) set by the United Nations. Significant progress has been made in the fields of immunisation, supply of drinking water, women education and health care.

Saifur Rahman observed that continuous dialogues between the members of the global civil society will help create a positive image of the country abroad.

Stephen Tim gave assurance that Britain would continue its development assistance and cooperation towards Bangladesh.

He also lauded the contributions of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the UK in different spheres of economy and culture in Britain.