Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday renewed her call to the international community to force Myanmar to take back its over one million Rohingya nationals living in Bangladesh.
“Myanmar must take their nationals back and the international community should help Bangladesh send back the Rohingyas from Bangladesh,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this when visiting Special Envoy of Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen Quoc Dzung met her at her official residence Ganobhaban.
PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
He said the Prime Minister mentioned that Bangladesh has prepared a temporary shelter for the Rohingyas at Bhashan Char to provide them with a better living place.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh and Myanmar have already signed agreements for sending back Rohingyas. “But, the implementation process is being delayed.”
Mentioning that Vietnam has vast experience in developing agricultural sector, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh would take support from them for further development of this sector here.
She said Bangladesh has given importance to connectivity with Vietnam and emphasised enhancing trade and business.
Both Bangladesh and Vietnam struggled a lot for their independence, Hasina said adding that when she was a student she closely observed the struggle for independence of Vietnam.
After Bangladesh’s independence, she mentioned, a youth delegation visited Vietnam where her younger brother was a member of that team.
Special Envoy of Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen Quoc Dzung said the government and the people of Vietnam were very much happy at the reelection of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He said Bangladesh and Vietnam are traditional friends and both have lots of similarity.
He emphasised the enhancement of people-to-people contact.
About the Rohingya issue, Nguyen Quoc Dzung highly appreciated the humanitarian efforts of Bangladesh for giving shelter to the refugees. “This is a huge burden on Bangladesh,” he added.
Nguyen Quoc Dzung said his country will donate USD 50,000 as part of their solidarity to Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue.
He also put emphasis on enhancing connectivity alongside trade and business between the two friendly countries.Nguyen invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit Vietnam at her convenient time.