UN expresses solidarity with Bangladesh's govt

The United Nations (UN) has expressed full solidarity and cooperation with the government and the people of Bangladesh.

“The UN is with full solidarity and full cooperation with the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the people of Bangladesh,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a meeting with the Bangladesh premier here.

The meeting was held in the UN secretary general’s meeting room at the UN headquarters on Thursday afternoon.

After the meeting, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque briefed reporters.

On the election issue, Guterres hoped that the next general elections in Bangladesh will be a participatory one.

Mentioning his visits to Bangladesh for a number of times, the UN secretary general said he loves the country very much.

Highly appreciating Bangladesh’s tremendous development under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Guterres said many countries could learn from it.

He highly praised the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, specially her stance on the question of the Rohingyas. “You can become a role model for many heads of state and government,” the UN secretary general told the prime minister.

While talking about the Rohingya issue, the UN secretary general said the Myanmar government should start repatriation and proper rehabilitation of the Rohingyas as soon as possible.

The prime minister briefed him on different aspects of the development of Bangladesh.

Guterres underscored the need for facing the climate change unitedly and requested Sheikh Hasina to continue her leadership on this issue.

Later, President of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the bilateral meeting room at the UN headquarters.

Mentioning that the ICRC is also working in the Northern Rakhine state of Myanmar, the prime minister urged the organization to play a strong role in repatriation and rehabilitation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas properly.

Later, President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Graces paid a courtesy call on the prime minister at the President’s office.