Bangladesh seeks UK support to pressurize Myanmar

Bangladesh's Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen today urged the United Kingdom (UK) to continue support in international forum especially in the United Nations for creating pressure on Myanmar to ensure sustainable return of the Rohingya Muslims.

He made the appeal in Dhaka during a call with visiting 14 UK parliamentarians, said a foreign ministry press release.

The British Parliamentarians led by Ms. Ann Mette Kjaerby are visiting Bangladesh on a study tour on sexual and reproductive health.

Welcoming the delegates, the Foreign Minister expressed deep appreciation for the support of the politicians and the people of the United Kingdom during the Liberation war and afterwards.

He mentioned the atrocities carried out by the Myanmar towards the Rohingya and sought support for ensuring the safe and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to their homeland in Northern Rakhine State.

The Foreign Minister also outlined the financial and environmental impact Bangladesh is currently undergoing for housing the Rohingya.

The Foreign Minister apprised the delegation about the developments of Bangladesh in the economic sector as well as in the fields of socio-economic sectors such as reducing child and maternal mortality and population growth rate, increasing the literacy rate etc.

He further mentioned the role of Bangladeshi diaspora in the development of both Bangladesh and their host countries.

The Foreign Minister thanked the people and the Government of the United Kingdom for its longstanding partnership with the Government of Bangladesh and expressed hope that the cooperation between Bangladesh and the UK in the field of implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Delta Plan-2100 will be continued.

The members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health thanked the Foreign Minister for the meeting.

They commended Bangladesh’s role in hosting 1.1 million Rohingyas with shelter and all kinds of humanitarian assistance.

They lauded Bangladesh’s remarkable achievements in the fields of child and maternal health, poverty reduction, women empowerment, technology and capacity building.

They also assured that the UK will continue to work with the Government of Bangladesh for the overall development of Bangladesh from grassroots to national level and ensuring safe return of the Rohingya to Myanmar.

Kamruzzaman