Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday reiterated her call to the international community and the United Nations (UN) to play an intensified role in solving the Rohingya crisis by repatriating the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals to their motherland.
The prime minister made the call while UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi paid a courtesy call on her at the bilateral meeting room of the Lotte New York Palace hotel in the US.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen briefed reporters on the activities of the prime minister on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
In the meeting with Grandi, Sheikh Hasina also emphasized enhancing the UNHCR's activities in Myanmar on Rohingya issues.
In reply, Grandi said that he would visit Myanmar soon.
The prime minister restated that the Rohingya crisis can only be resolved through the repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to their homeland, Myanmar.
The UNHCR high commissioner also agreed with her on the matter.
During the meeting, they discussed in detail the current activities of the UNHCR to help the Rohingyas who took shelter in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.
Later, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Karim AA Khan QC also called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the same venue.
They discussed various aspects of cooperation between Bangladesh and the ICC.
The prime minister assured the ICC prosecutor that Bangladesh will continue cooperation with all ongoing efforts at the ICC to ensure justice and accountability for the Rohingya victims in Myanmar.
Khan in the meeting expressed his interest in visiting Bangladesh early next year.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the UN Habitat Maimunah Mohd Sharif also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In the meeting at the bilateral meeting room of the Lotte New York Palace, they discussed the Bangladesh government’s steps considering the importance of sustainable urbanization and the areas of future cooperation.
In this connection, the prime minister informed him about the success of the Ashrayan project undertaken by her government for the landless and homeless people of Bangladesh.
