Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser today called for increasing political pressure on the Myanmar government to back their nationals from Bangladesh as he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here.
“The repatriation of the Rohingya people in their homeland of Rakhaine state will have to be made with safety and security,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted him as saying while briefing reporters after the meeting held at the premier’s Jatiya Sangsad Office here this evening.
Mentioning that exodus of 1.1 million Rohingyas is a huge burden for Bangladesh, the premier said: “We’ve given shelter to them on humanitarian grounds.”
“Myanmar our neigbouring country and we’ve started talks with them to solve the problem … they have agreed to take back their forcibly displaced nationals, but don’t act accordingly,” she said.
The prime minister sought investment from Estonia for mutual benefits of the two countries and mentioned that the government is setting up 100 special economic zones. “We seek investment in these zones as those have huge opportunities and prospects,” she said.
“Besides, there’re many areas we can explore,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina said there are many challenges like shortage of land, booming population climate and natural disasters before Bangladesh. “We’re advancing facing these challenges,” she said.
In this connection, she referred to the increasing GDP growth rate to 7.78 percent and bringing down poverty rate to 22 percent. “We want to cut poverty rate further,” she said.
The prime minister recalled with profound gratitude Estonian support to Bangladesh’s liberation war.
Stressing the need for boosting cooperation in various sectors with Bangladesh, the Estonian foreign minister said his country wants to take the bilateral relations to a new level.
“We can share our experiences with Bangladesh in the IT sector,” he said.
Sven Mikser also praised Bangladesh’s contributions to the UN peacekeeping missions.
PM’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi and Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman were present on the occasion.
