Visiting Special Envoy of the UNHCR Angeline Jolie has highly appreciated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for sheltering huge number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh saying Sheikh Hasina is an example-setting leader in the world. The UN Special Envoy came up with such remarks when she paid a courtesy call on Sheikh Hasina at Ganobhaban in Dhaka on Wednesday (Feb 6) evening. After the call on, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the newsmen, local media reported.
Jolie said, leaders like Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are a very few in the world at this moment.
The UN Special Envoy said, huge number of Rohingas have created serious burden for Bangladesh and it is a very tough task to manage such a big population in shelter camps. In this regard, she assured that the UN, UNHCR and the World Bank will work together to lessen pressure on Bangladesh.
Jolie put emphasis on creating a congenial atmosphere for repatriation of the Myanmar Nationals now staying at Cox’s Bazar. She expressed concern about the future of Rohingya children saying their future is being destroyed although Bangladesh is trying to cooperate for their education, healthcare and other issues.
Jolie mentioned that she heard about recent incidents of torture and killing of the Rohingya women at Rakhaine state of Myanmar. During the meeting, the PM welcomed the UN special envoy’s remark stating the Rohingya crisis must be resolved.
The premier said Myanmar is Bangladesh’s next door neighbour and an agreement has been signed with the country for repatriation of its nationals. Sheikh Hasina, however, expressed her disappointment over delaying of implementation of the agreement.
The PM said, nearly 11 lakh Rohingyas were given shelter in Bangladesh, while some 40 thousand new babies were so far born at the shelter camps.
Referring to her government’s initiative of relocating the Rohingyas, Sheikh Hasina said, over one lakh refugees would get temporary shelter with better living condition there.
In this regard, she elaborated bitter experience of the people of Bangladesh in 1971 when over 10 million people took shelter in neighbouring India.
Sheikh Hasina also described the moments of her life when she along with members of the Bangabandhu family including her mother was in a state of house-arrest in 1971 as well as her life in exile for more than six years after the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975. Jolie expressed her grief over listening to the painful stories from the PM.
Radwan Mujib Siddiq Boby, nephew of the PM and Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Nojibur Rahman were present.
