He made the remarks at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office in the city.
PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
Yohei Sasakawa said the repatriation is now in a stalemate position to some extent. “It needs to be expedited and it can’t be prolonged,” he said, adding that Japan will cooperate with Bangladesh over the Rohingya issue.
He said the Prime Minister’s generosity to give shelter to Rohingyas has been appreciated in the international arena.
In this regard, the Prime Minister said the living condition of Rohingyas may be affected with the arrival of the monsoon. “Bangladesh developed an island for their better shelter,” she added.
Besides, the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination praised the government for its measures over the disease.
He said leprosy is now easily curable and its medicines should be given to the patients free of cost.
About leprosy, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has been working on leprosy elimination since 1996 and the government has built several houses for leprosy patients.
WHO Representative to Bangladesh Dr Bardan Jung Rana, Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka Hiroyasu Izumi and PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman were present.