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Bangladesh is ready to provide necessary assistance for the rehabilitation of Rohingyas in Myanmar following their safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said.
He made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with Yohei Sasakawa, Japan’s Special Envoy for National Reconciliation in Myanmar and chairman of the Nippon Foundation, at the Prime Minister’s Office at Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday (September 7).
During the meeting, the prime minister described the Rohingya crisis as one of Bangladesh’s biggest challenges. He said Bangladesh is already a densely populated country, and hosting a large number of Rohingyas for a prolonged period has placed additional pressure on the country’s economy, infrastructure and overall management.
Urging the Japanese special envoy to play a role in ensuring the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh is also ready to provide necessary support for their rehabilitation in Myanmar after repatriation.
Bangladesh is willing to extend all kinds of cooperation for the repatriation process, he said, adding that returning to their homeland would create opportunities for the Rohingyas to improve their living standards, including access to education and healthcare.
Sasakawa said he has been working for nearly 50 years to promote peace and address discrimination in different parts of the world. He also briefed the prime minister on his role as Japan’s special envoy for national reconciliation in Myanmar.
Acknowledging that the Rohingya crisis has placed significant pressure on Bangladesh, Sasakawa said he was aware of the situation. He highlighted various grants and humanitarian assistance provided by the Japanese government to support the Rohingyas.
The special envoy said he had discussed the Rohingya crisis with Myanmar’s president. According to him, the Myanmar government is sincere about resolving the crisis, but progress on repatriation is taking time due to the complex situation in Rakhine State.
The prime minister thanked the Japanese government for standing by Bangladesh in addressing the Rohingya crisis. In response, Sasakawa assured him that he would make his utmost efforts from his position to help resolve the crisis.
The meeting also discussed the need to strengthen multilateral initiatives and international cooperation alongside bilateral efforts to find a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Tarique Rahman also urged Sasakawa to support the establishment of a vaccine manufacturing facility in Bangladesh. The special envoy expressed his willingness to work sincerely on the issue.
The prime minister said Bangladesh is keen to attract more Japanese investment and that the government is working to ensure an investment-friendly environment in the country. He also expressed Bangladesh’s interest in further improving bilateral relations with Myanmar.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Foreign Affairs State Minister-1 Humayun Kabir, Foreign Affairs State Minister-2 Shama Obaed and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Shakirul Islam Khan were present at the meeting.