Bangladesh seeks global support for Rohingya repatriation

Bangladesh has sought stronger support from the international community, including Türkiye, to facilitate the early and sustainable repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar.

The call was made by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam during a meeting with President of the Turkish Red Crescent Fatma Meric Yilmaz at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues related to Bangladesh-Türkiye bilateral relations and avenues for expanding cooperation.

Recalling the visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Bangladesh in June and his meetings with the country's top leadership, the state minister underscored the importance of strengthening collaboration in various sectors, including cooperation in regional and international forums.

She noted that Bangladesh has been hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingyas who were forcibly displaced from Myanmar since 2017, describing the situation as a major challenge for the country.

Emphasising the need for a durable solution to the crisis, Shama Obaed called for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar at the earliest possible time and urged the international community to extend sincere support toward that goal.

Fatma Meric Yilmaz praised Bangladesh for its generosity in sheltering a large number of Rohingya refugees and for providing continued humanitarian assistance over the years.

She also highlighted Türkiye's humanitarian support for the Rohingya population, including food assistance, education programmes, primary and emergency healthcare services, sanitation facilities and skills development training.

TZ