Visiting UNHCR special envoy Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka and appreciated Hasina’s government for giving shelter to the Rohingya refugees.
Jolie made the remarks when she paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at
Ganobhaban in Dhaka on Wednesday night.
Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
Angeline Jolie said, leaders like Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are a very few in the
world at this moment.
The UN Special Envoy said that huge number of Rohingyas have created serious burden for Bangladesh and it is a very tough task to manage such a big population in shelter camps.
She assured that the UN, UNHCR and the World Bank will work together to lessen pressure on Bangladesh.
Angeline Jolie put emphasis on creating a congenial atmosphere for repatriation of the Myanmar Nationals now staying at refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Jolie 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.
She added that she heard about recent incidents of torture and killing of the Rohingya women at Rakhaine state of Myanmar.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister 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.
PM Sheikh Hasina, however, expressed her disappointment over delaying of implementation of the agreement.
The Prime Minister 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, the prime minister said, over one lakh refugees would get temporary shelter with better living condition there.
In this regard, she described the bitter experience of the people of Bangladesh in 1971 when over 10 million people took shelter in neighbouring India.
Premier 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.
The UN Special Envoy Angeline Jolie expressed her grief over listening to the painful stories from the Prime Minister.
Radwan Mujib Siddiq Boby, nephew of the Prime Minister and Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Nojibur Rahman were present during the meeting.