Staff Reporter:
Outgoing Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexandra Berg Von Linde on Tuesday said that the forci-bly displaced Rohingyas can’t return to their homeland unless a conducive atmosphere is restored in My-anmar.
“Unless the conflicts are resolved in Myanmar and an atmosphere for their secured return is created we can not ask them to go back,” she said.
The ambassador said this while calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ga-nabhaban.
PM’s press secretary M Nayeemul Islam Khan briefed reporters after the call on.
PM Hasina told the envoy that each year some 30,000 new Rohingya babies are born in the camps in Bangladesh.
She said that due to the Rohingya influx local Bangladeshis are losing their jobs while the environment is getting heavily damaged.
Regarding the job problem of local people, the envoy said that they have a special project in Cox’s Bazar for the host community to ensure a win-win situation for both the Rohingyas and the locals.
The prime minister said that Rohingyas will get a better living condition in Bhashanchar as the govern-ment has made good arrangements with different facilities for the Rohingya people.
Hasina also raised her concern about the internal conflict in Myanmar which is deteriorating there.
The envoy appreciated the generosity of prime minister in hosting the Rohingya people for nearly seven years.
The envoy said she arrived in Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic. She said that Bangladesh has demonstrated excellent management of the pandemic, which is highly laudable.
“I witnessed the successful Covid-19 management of Bangladesh which is highly laudable,” she added.
The prime minister mentioned that Bangladesh has over a billion dollar business with Sweden and it is mostly in import of readymade garments (RMG).
The envoy said that her country would extend cooperation In this sector. Her country, she said, wants to prioritize sustainability in social and environmental sectors because of their commitment in climate change and environment.
While talking about Bangladesh’s LDC graduation, the PM sought Sweden’s cooperation after the full graduation by continuing GSP plus facilities.
“We want support and cooperation from Sweden for smooth graduation and transition,” she said.
About the prime minister’s Vision-2041, the envoy said that Sweden would cooperate with Bangladesh potentially in this digital journey.
The premier urged Sweden to come up with investment in Bangladesh’s special economic zones.
The envoy also extend her gratitude to the premier for extending all types of support and cooperation in discharging her duty In Bangladesh.
She also highly appreciated the women empowerment in Bangladesh, saying that Bangladeshi women are very resilience and strong.
The envoy said that her country would extend more cooperation in promotion of democracy and human rights and find ways to bring improvement and transparency further.
Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin and Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah, among others, were present.
