Japan is banking on restoration of democracy in Myanmar for the sustainable repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh.
“Sustainable repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya would be possible after the resumption of democracy in Myanmar,” visiting Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs TAKEI Shunsuke.
He said this while calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban.
PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the meeting.
He said that the Japanese state minister for foreign affairs said Japan supports Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue.
In reply, the PM said Japan can talk with Myanmar over Rohingya repatriation.
He said that it is required to wait for democracy for sustainable repatriation of Rohingya.
Sheikh Hasina said Rohingya have become a heavy burden as five years have already elapsed since they took shelter in Bangladesh in 2017.
She said the Rohingya population is increasing.
The PM said that the biggest challenge is that many of the Rohingya are involved in drug and arms trafficking.
She also said that Rohingya groups are fighting and killing each other.
She reiterated her call that Myanmar should take back Rohingya who are their own people.
Hasina described the relations between Bangladesh and Japan as wonderful and said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had laid the foundation of the relationship.
“The relations between Japan and Bangladesh have been growing,” she said.
The PM recalled the contribution of Japan with due respect during the War of Liberation and in rebuilding the war-ravaged Bangladesh soon after independence.
Read more: Myanmar situation doesn't allow full-scale Rohingya repatriation now: Japan
She also recalled the Japanese cooperation in Bangladesh’s development efforts.
“They are still working in Bangladesh’s various development projects including the Matharbari and third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport,” she said.
She described late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a “great friend of Bangladesh”.
Japanese state minister said, “Japan feels proud being a development partner of Bangladesh. Japan will continue assisting Bangladesh in development efforts.”
He said that he visited Bangladesh five years ago and became astonished with its huge development in the last five years under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Hasina.
TAKEI Shunsuke said the Japan government is carrying forward the comprehensive partnership of Japan and Bangladesh launched in 2014 by Japanese late Prime Minister Abe and Hasina.
He said the operation of flight between Dhaka to Tokyo marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh will promote connectivity in the days to come.
PM’s Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, PM’s Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki were present among others.