Bangladesh will provide all possible cooperation and necessary support to ensure the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Muslims to their places of origin, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made the remarks during a meeting with Yohei Sasakawa, Japan’s Special Envoy for Myanmar National Reconciliation and Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangladesh Secretariat on September 7.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister said the return of Muslims to their places of origin could create opportunities to improve their living standards in various sectors, including education and healthcare.
He also said Bangladesh was ready to provide the necessary cooperation to facilitate their resettlement in Myanmar after their return.
According to Shahadat Shadhin, the Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary, Sasakawa highlighted the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Japan and said he had spent nearly five decades working to promote peace and eliminate discrimination in different parts of the world.
Sasakawa also briefed the Prime Minister on his activities as Japan’s Special Envoy for Myanmar National Reconciliation. He said he understood that the Muslim issue had placed a significant burden on Bangladesh and highlighted the humanitarian assistance provided by the Japanese government.
Tarique Rahman said the Muslim issue was one of the major crises facing Bangladesh and thanked the Japanese government for standing alongside Bangladesh in efforts to resolve the crisis.
He said that as Bangladesh is a densely populated country, hosting a large number of Muslims for a prolonged period had placed additional pressure on the country’s economy, infrastructure and governance.
The Prime Minister therefore urged Sasakawa to continue playing a role, as Japan’s Special Envoy, in facilitating the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Muslims to their places of origin.
Sasakawa said he had already discussed the Muslim issue with the President of Myanmar and that he believed the Myanmar government was sincere in its efforts to resolve the issue. However, he noted that progress in receiving the Muslims back would take time due to the complex situation currently prevailing in Rakhine State.
He also assured the Prime Minister that he would continue making every possible effort, within the scope of his responsibilities, to help resolve the issue.
During the meeting, Tarique Rahman also urged Sasakawa to provide cooperation in establishing a vaccine manufacturing plant in Bangladesh. Sasakawa assured him that he would make serious efforts in this regard.
At the same time, the Prime Minister expressed Bangladesh’s interest in attracting Japanese investment and said the government was working to create a favorable business environment for investment in the country.
He also emphasized Bangladesh’s desire to further improve and strengthen bilateral relations with Myanmar.
Ref: Bangladesh Media.
