Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, has announced that steps will be taken to repatriate 97 Bangladeshis detained in Australia for attempting to enter the country without a visa.
He said that Australia’s Home Minister, Tony Burke, has requested the return of these individuals.
The adviser made these comments after a meeting with Burke and his delegation at the Secretariat on Thursday.
He noted that Australia has already accepted around 2,000 Rohingyas and has agreed to take in more. Bangladesh has requested an increase in the number of Rohingyas to be accepted.
Jahangir Alam further mentioned that the meeting focused on enhancing cooperation between the two countries. A signing ceremony for an agreement with the Bangladesh Coast Guard took place, addressing security issues in the Indian Ocean.
According to Faisal Hasan, a senior information officer at the Home Ministry, the bilateral meeting discussed various topics, including increasing people-to-people contact, cooperation in combating transnational crime, civil maritime security, maritime safety assistance, training and capacity building, and collaboration to prevent human trafficking and irregular migration, as well as the issue of forcibly displaced Myanmar citizens (Rohingyas).
At the start of the meeting, the Adviser welcomed the Australian Home Minister, highlighting Australia as a close friend of Bangladesh.
He noted that Australia's longstanding friendship with Bangladesh has been strengthened through Commonwealth traditions and mutual communication. Australia was one of the first countries to recognize newly independent Bangladesh in January 1972.
He also mentioned that Australian citizen William Odorland is the only foreign national to receive Bangladesh’s highest award for bravery in the Liberation War, the Bir Protik.
The Adviser added that Bangladesh prioritizes international cooperation to combat the growing threats of terrorism, terrorist financing, and money laundering. There is a shared interest in strengthening information exchange and collaboration in this regard.
During the meeting, the Australian Home Minister indicated that Australia, along with many other countries, faces risks from various types of terrorist attacks. Young people are being radicalized through online platforms and other means. Australia also places great importance on international cooperation and information sharing to prevent such terrorist activities, including cyberattacks.
An MoU on "Civil Maritime Security and Maritime Safety" was signed between Bangladesh and Australia during the meeting.
The agreement was signed on behalf of Bangladesh by Rear Admiral Mir Ershad Ali, Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, and by Rear Admiral Brett Sonter, Commander of the Australian Maritime Border Command.