A delegation from the British High Commission in Dhaka met with Md. Ismail Jabiuallah, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Public Administration Affairs, at the Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting was led by Neil Gandhi and included Shahnaz Karim and Sarah L. Taylor, the Asia Foundation’s BSEA Team Leader. The adviser expressed gratitude to the UK government and people for considering Bangladesh a major development partner.

During the meeting, Shahnaz Karim inquired about the current state, effectiveness, and challenges of Bangladesh’s bureaucracy. The adviser responded that political influence and corruption had expanded under the previous Awami League government, undermining administrative efficiency and integrity. He added that the current government is working to build a merit-based administration.

The British side expressed interest in providing technical assistance for implementing and monitoring the government’s election manifesto. The adviser proposed collaboration in education, job creation, and capacity building for civil servants, including training modeled on the UK’s “Managing at the Top (MATT)” program. The British delegation responded positively to these proposals.