NEW YORK, Sept 28, 2018 (BSS) -The United Nations (UN) has expressed full
solidarity and cooperation with the government and the people of Bangladesh.
“The UN is with full solidarity and full cooperation with the government of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the people of Bangladesh,” UN Secretary
General Antonio Guterres said in a meeting with the Bangladesh premier here.
The meeting was held in the UN secretary general’s meeting room at the UN
headquarters on Thursday afternoon.
After the meeting, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque briefed reporters.
On the election issue, Guterres hoped that the next general elections in
Bangladesh will be a participatory one.
Mentioning his visits to Bangladesh for a number of times, the UN secretary
general said he loves the country very much.
Highly appreciating Bangladesh’s tremendous development under the
leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Guterres said many countries
could learn from it.
He highly praised the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, specially
her stance on the question of the Rohingyas. “You can become a role model for
many heads of state and government,” the UN secretary general told the prime
minister.
While talking about the Rohingya issue, the UN secretary general said the
Myanmar government should start repatriation and proper rehabilitation of the
Rohingyas as soon as possible.
The prime minister briefed him on different aspects of development of
Bangladesh.
Guterres underscored the need for facing the climate change unitedly and
requested Sheikh Hasina to continue her leadership on this issue.
Later, President of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter
Maurer called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the bilateral meeting room
at the UN headquarters.
Mentioning that the ICRC is also working in the Northern Rakhaine state of
Myanmar, the prime minister urged the organisation to play a strong role in
repatriation and rehabilitation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas properly.
Later, President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly Maria
Fernanda Espinosa Graces paid a courtesy call on the prime minister at the
President’s office.