DHAKA, July 26, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said
Bangladesh offered makeshift refuge to Myanmar’s Rohingya community on
humanitarian ground but want them to go back as newly appointed Egyptian
ambassador in Dhaka Walid Ahmed Shamseldin made a courtesy call on her at the
PMO.
“We have given them shelter on humanitarian ground . . . now we want them
to go back,” premier’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted her as saying
during the call.
Sheikh Hasina, he said, told the envoy that Bangladesh is in dialogue with
Myanmar and other stakeholders to resolve the crisis “but Myanmar is not
working according to the agreement”.
The premier, however, said her government was preparing an area for
temporary relocation of the 1, 00,000 of the displaced Rohingya population as
they were now residing in crammed camps in Cox’s Bazar with an aim to ease
their life providing a better environment.
The press secretary said the prime minister and the envoy also discussed
issues of mutual interests when “she said we attach great importance to our
relationship with Egypt as it was one of the first Arab countries to
recognise Bangladesh after the 1971 Independence”.
She recalled Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s
historic visit in November 1974 saying that event laid the foundation of relations
between the two countries.
Sheikh Hasina also recalled her visit to Egypt in 2009 to attend the Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) summit.
“The envoy said he would work for strengthening further the bilateral
relations and cooperation between the two countries,”Karim said particularly
stressing cultural ties between the two countries.
Shamseldin informed the premier that he already met Bangladesh’s cultural
affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor to discuss ways for strengthening cultural
bonds.
In regard to business times, the ambassador said Egypt was keen to invest
in power sector and ready to establish a cable factory in Bangladesh, Karim
said adding that the prime minister welcomed the Egypt’s interest for
investing in Bangladesh.
“The (Bangladesh) government is ready to allocate land in the Special
Economic Zones (SEZs) to set up their industries,” she said.
In course of talks the envoy praised Sheikh Hasina’s role in combating
terrorism and drug.
The prime minister assured the envoy of giving all support and cooperation
in discharging his duties in Bangladesh.
PM’s Principal Secretary Md. Nozibur Rahman was present during the
meeting.