Urgent steps of Int’l community needed to resolve Rohingya crisis: Dhaka

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday stressed that the international community needs to take urgent steps to resolve Rohingya crisis, UNB reports.

He pointed out that strong pressure needs to be put on Myanmar to ensure that its government takes back the Rohingyas who have taken shelter in Bangladesh in a safe, dignified and sustainable manner.

Momen raised the issue when three new ambassadors to Bangladesh, ambassador of Sweden Alexandra Berg Von Linde, ambassador of Spain Francisco de Asís Benítez Salas and ambassador of Norway Espen Rikter-Svendsen met him at the State Guest House, Padma.

Although it has been more than three years since the mass exodus of Rohingyas to Bangladesh from their homeland Myanmar happened, not a single Rohingya has been repatriated to Myanmar because the Myanmar authorities have not created the conducive environment for repatriation, said the foreign minister.

All three ambassadors strongly commended Bangladesh for the humanitarian stance taken by Bangladesh regarding the Rohingyas.

They appreciated the extraordinary humanitarian gesture of prime minister Sheikh Hasina by providing shelter to the 1.1 million Rohingyas who have fled their homeland in Rakhine State of Myanmar after being persecuted by their own state.

After congratulating the new ambassadors on their assumption of office in Bangladesh, the foreign minister discussed bilateral as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Momen mentioned about the excellent bilateral relation of Bangladesh with all these three countries which is characterised by friendly sentiments, commonality of views, mutually beneficial economic cooperation and increasing bilateral trade and investment.

The foreign minister briefed them about Bangladesh’s glorious developmental journey, particularly during the last one decade under the visionary leadership of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The minister invited Swedish, Spanish and Norwegian investors to set up manufacturing factories in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) of Bangladesh.

By investing in the SEZs, the foreign investors can avail the tax benefits and attractive foreign direct investment-friendly packages offered by the government of Bangladesh as well as can take advantage of Bangladesh’s demographic dividend and the large domestic market.

Mentioning current government’s ‘Digital Bangladesh’ mandate, Momen informed the ambassadors about Bangladesh’s recent development in the ICT sector.

Referring to the 28 Hi-tech parks in Bangladesh, the foreign minister urged the ambassadors to encourage their respective country’s investors to invest in those Hi-tech parks.