<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has highly praised Bangladesh’s tremendous economic advancement under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Paying a courtesy call on Bangladesh Prime Minister at the Claridge's hotel on Sunday, he also expressed his desire to help Bangladesh for further development in various sectors.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Dr Ak Abdul Momen briefed reporters afterwards.</div><div><br></div><div>“The former UK Prime Minister has highly admired Bangladesh’s development and wanted to help Bangladesh in its further development,“ the foreign minister said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister told Blair that Bangladesh needs more foreign investment to generate more employment, according to Momen.</div><div><br></div><div>Tony Blair said that he has good relations with the Middle East countries particularly the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) ones and he can help Bangladesh to increase business connectivity.</div><div><br></div><div>Blair, also head of the Tony Blair Institution for Global Change, was quoted as saying: “The current economy of Bangladesh is very attractive and Bangladesh is doing very well economically.”</div><div><br></div><div>The foreign minister said the ex-prime minister of UK expressed his happiness over the bilateral relations between the UK and Bangladesh, saying, “The UK and Bangladesh relationship is very excellent.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also greeted the Bangladesh premier for coming to attend the coronation of King Charles III.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities concerned from the Tony Blair Institution for Global Change will visit Bangladesh and sit with BIDA to identify the sectors for which Bangladesh needs help in development.</div><div><br></div><div>PM’s Speechwriter M Nazrul Islam and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, among others, were present at the briefing. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>