PM seeks global support to shift Myanmar refugees

Desk Report: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought support of international community to arrange temporary accommodation for Myanmar refugees in a healthy and safe environment in Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister said this in a luncheon meeting with German Chancellor Angel Merkel on the sidelines of the 53rd Munich Security Conference at Hotel Bayerrischer Hof here on Saturday.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has taken the issue of extruded Myanmar citizens from humanitarian point of view. But their stay and activities in Cox's Bazar, an important tourist town, is causing destruction of environment, sanitation system, landscape and nature, forcing them to live in an inhuman condition.

"So Bangladesh government wants to shift them to an open and healthy areas by providing all the civic facilities," she said seeking support of Germany and other countries in this regard.

In their hour-long meeting, they discussed various issues relating to mutual interests including the ways of boosting relations between the two countries in the areas of trade and business, development and refugee issues, PM's press secretary Ehsanul Karim said while briefing reporters after the meeting.

The Prime Minister informed the German Chancellor about the socioeconomic progress of the country in different areas particularly in gender parity, women empowerment and poverty reduction, the press secretary said.

After the meeting Bangladesh and Germany signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on upgrading current machine readable passport system of Bangladesh and a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on political exchange on counter terrorism.

BSS


risingbd/Dhaka/Feb 18, 2017/Saiful/Nasim