President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called on the international community, including the United Kingdom, to take more effective measures for the safe and dignified repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh, as well as for the protection of vulnerable women and children.
He made the appeal on Wednesday during a courtesy call paid to him at Bangabhaban by Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, the Duchess of Edinburgh, a member of the British Royal Family who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh. President’s press secretary Md Sarwar Alam confirmed the meeting with BSS.
Earlier in her visit, the Duchess met Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of the Prime Minister, in Dhaka. Their discussions focused on women’s empowerment, maternal and child healthcare, education, youth development and the Rohingya crisis, with Dr Zubaida stressing the need for sustained international support and the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingya to Myanmar.
Welcoming the Duchess to Bangladesh, President Mirza Fakhrul said her visit carried a message of hope for the Rohingya people of Myanmar, particularly women and children facing an uncertain future. He added that her visit to the camps in Cox’s Bazar would help draw greater international attention to the humanitarian crisis.
Stressing the need for a more active role by the international community, the President noted that the prolonged Rohingya crisis is placing immense pressure on the socioeconomic and environmental resources of densely populated Bangladesh and is also raising concerns over regional security.
He appreciated the Duchess’s longstanding contributions to women’s dignity and empowerment, eye health and the development of younger generations. Referring to the longstanding friendly relations between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom, he said Bangladesh remained committed to advancing bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed increasing British investment in Bangladesh, improving the education system and further enhancing women’s participation in the country’s sports sector.
The Duchess shared her experiences from the visit, including her time at the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) and the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT). She praised the progress achieved in the development and empowerment of women in Bangladesh and their contributions to the country’s economic growth.
The President expressed hope that the Duchess’s visit would further strengthen the existing friendly relations and mutual cooperation between the two countries.
Senior officials from the President’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the British High Commissioner and members of the Duchess of Edinburgh’s entourage were present at the meeting.