The visit of Belgium's Queen Mathilde to Bangladesh will aid in the repatriation of Rohingyas, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday. "Her visit will be beneficial in getting a better response from the international community. Repatriation is the only solution to the Rohingya crisis. The Queen's visit will also help with the repatriation process," he told reporters on Tuesday. The minister said that het visit will also play a vital role in developing Bangladesh-Belgium relations. UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocate Queen Mathilde visited Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar district on Tuesday. Hasan Mahmud along with others accompanied the Belgian queen during her visit to the camps. She visited a learning centre, participated in a session with women working on preventing gender-based violence, interacted with women learning new skills, joined a short briefing on the work on mental health, and spoke with mental health volunteers. Read more:Queen Mathilde's visit highlights "heightened importance" of SDGs, showcases Bangladesh’s dynamism: UN Queen Mathilde ascended to the throne in 2013. She is the honourary president of both Child Focus, a foundation for the missing and sexually exploited children, and UNICEF Belgium. In 2001, Queen Mathilde established the Princess Mathilde Fund (now the Queen Mathilde Fund) to promote the care of vulnerable people. As an SDG Advocate, she is particularly focused on mental health.

UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocate Queen Mathilde visited Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar district today. Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, among others, accompanied the Belgian queen during her visit there. She visited a learning center, participated in a session with women working on preventing gender-based violence, interacted with women learning new skills and joined a short briefing on the work on mental health and spoke with mental health volunteers. She is scheduled to return to Dhaka this evening and join a dinner hosted by Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury. The UN Country Team in Bangladesh on Monday warmly welcomed Queen Mathilde. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic which stalled and reversed development progress globally, and the subsequent Russia-Ukraine war that induced a cost-of-living crisis, this visit "highlights the heightened importance of the SDGs, and also showcases Bangladesh’s dynamism and commitment", said the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka. On her first day to the country, the Belgian queen visited Fakir Apparels Ltd, a garment factory in Narayangan that produces clothes for major international brands. Also read: Rohingya man shot dead inside Ukhiya camp