New Zealand’s active role sought to end Rohingya crisis

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has sought New Zealand’s active role in the international forum to end the prevailing Rohingya crisis.

The President made the call when New Zealand's High Commissioner in Dhaka David Pine paid a farewell call on him at Bangabhaban on Wednesday.

“Bangladesh has given shelter to more than 11 lakh Rohingya people forcibly displaced from Myanmar on humanitarian ground,” the President said.

“But now it is a big problem for the country . . . And with each passing day the pressure on the Bangladesh government and it's people is on the rise,” the Head of State told the envoy.

New Zealand would play an active role in different international forums for the safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas, he hoped.

President Shahabuddin said New Zealand is one of the countries that recognized Bangladesh immediately after the independence.

Noting that Bangladesh and New Zealand have excellent bilateral ties, he said,  there is an ample opportunity to expand the relationship between the two countries in various fields, including trade and investment.

The President put emphasis on visit-exchange both at the public and private sectors of the two countries to explore these potentials.