Guterres, Kim assure continued support on Rohingya issue

Desk Report: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said they will put more pressure on Myanmar to make them understand what they should do over the Rohingya issue.

"We’re keeping up pressure on Myanmar...we need to put more pressure on Myanmar to make them understand what they should do over this issue," he said.

Antonio Guterres said this when he met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim also met the Prime Minister at the same time.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said the United Nations and the World Bank will continue their support to Bangladesh over the Rohingya issue.

Guterres mentioned that the international community reiterated their solidarity towards Bangladesh on the issue and appreciated the government of Bangladesh for giving shelter to the Rohingyas.

He noted with satisfaction that the World Bank has come forward to help Bangladesh deal with the Rohingya issue.

The Prime Minister apprised them about the current situation of the Rohingyas and mentioned that these people started entering Bangladesh in 1977.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has given shelter to 1.1 million Rohingyas only on humanitarian ground, and various services, including healthcare, are being provided to them.

She said the government is preparing an island to relocate around 100,000 Rohingyas where they will get better living condition and livelihood opportunities.

The Prime Minister said the local people of Bangladesh are experiencing adverse impactsas over one million people have taken shelter in Bangladesh. "We’ve to look into their problem as well, and we’re doing that."

Regarding dialogue between Bangladesh and Myanmar governments to repatriate the Rohingyas, she said both countries signed agreements over the matter. "But, they’re yet to take any action for its implementation," she added.

Antonio Guterres said the main concern of them is the radicalisation of education system of Rohingyas and emphasised checking this element.

He highly praised the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh, measures taken to counter terrorism and disaster management and steps over dealing with climate change. "Bangladesh is one of the most successful counties in disaster management."

Mentioning that the cooperation with Bangladesh will continue, he also appreciated Bangladesh's efforts to establish peace across the globe being the second highest peacekeeper sender.

The UN Secretary General presented a photograph of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman while he was giving his first speech at the UN General Assembly on September 25, 1974 to the Prime Minister.

President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim said development activities and humanitarian issues should be dealt with together and assured the Prime Minister that the cooperation of the World Bank to Bangladesh government will continue.

He mentioned that Bangladesh is the second highest recipient of World Bank loan. "And this shows our faith in your leadership and we’re inspired by your leadership."

Congratulating Bangladesh's drive towards graduating from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) status, Jim Yong Kim said he will request the World Bank Board so that Bangladesh could avail of loans at a concessional rate.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the dream of the Father of the Nation was to build a poverty- and hunger-free Bangladesh. "And we’ve made progress…," he said.

She said the GDP growth in the last fiscal was 7.78 percent, while the electricity production in the country reached 18,000 MW.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, PM's Adviser Dr Towfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam were, among others, present during the meeting.
 

Source: Agencies
 

risingbd/Dhaka/July 01, 2018/A K Azad