United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed on Sunday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter's official residence Ganabhaban.

In the meeting, various issues including SDG, climate change, Rohingya, impacts of the Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war on the global economy came up for discussion.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed newsmen after the meeting.

The Prime Minister said her government has been taking various timely measures to ensure food security amid the international food crisis.

She said her government has been working to bring all the fallow land under cultivation to ward off the crisis.

The premier stressed the need for cultivation of food and vegetables even on rooftop.

She said her government has been given topmost priority on research in the agriculture sector.

The premier said they have already developed saline- and flood-tolerant rice varieties and are working to improve those further.

About the Rohingya issue, she said they have given Rohingyas shelter in Bangladesh on humanitarian grounds.

"But, they have become a big burden for us. It has created social problems," she continued.

Amina J. Mohammed said 52 countries are now on the verge of crisis due to the brunts of COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war.

"We have to face the crisis together. It is a big challenge for the developing nations," she said.

She praised the contribution of Bangladeshi peacekeepers to maintain world peace.

PM’s ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Muhammad Abdul Muhith were present at the time.