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Baroness Rosie Winterton, the UK government’s trade envoy to Bangladesh, and Sarah Cooke, the British high commissioner to Bangladesh, visit the corporate headquarters of Unilever Bangladesh Limited in Dhaka recently. | Press release

Unilever Bangladesh Limited (UBL), a leading UK-based multinational and the country’s largest fast-moving consumer goods company, welcomed Baroness Rosie Winterton, the UK government’s trade envoy to Bangladesh, and Sarah Cooke, the British high commissioner to Bangladesh, to its corporate headquarters in Dhaka.

The delegation was received by senior leadership from Unilever Bangladesh, including Zinnia Huq, chief financial officer and finance director; Syeda Durdana Kabir, human resources director; Shamima Akhter, director of corporate affairs, partnerships and communications; Rashedul Quayum, legal director and company secretary.


The high-level visit served as a platform to showcase how Unilever—rooted in British heritage—has evolved into an essential part of Bangladesh’s social and economic landscape. It is worth mentioning that Unilever Bangladesh is a part of the global British company Unilever, headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Unilever’s journey in Bangladesh began in 1962 with a soap manufacturing facility in Kalurghat, Chattogram. Since then, it has grown into a trusted household name with 25 iconic brands, more than 96 per cent of which are now manufactured locally. Since 1973, the Government of Bangladesh has held a 39.25 per cent stake in UBL—a testament to the company’s deep-rooted partnership in nation-building.

Rosie Winterton of Doncaster said, ‘Unilever exemplifies what enduring trade partnerships look like. It is inspiring to see how a company with British origins has become such a vital part of Bangladesh’s development story. Their legacy here goes far beyond commerce—it is about shared prosperity and responsible business.’