Boris Johnson arrives in Dhaka, to meet Rohingyas during Bangladesh visit

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has arrived in Dhaka on his maiden Bangladesh visit to see the plight of Rohingya refugees ahead of his visit to Myanmar from Sunday.

He was received by foreign ministry’s Secretary (bilateral) Kamrul Ahsan, Director General of the Europe Wing Mohammad Khorshed Alam Khastagir and British High Commissioner in Dhaka Alison Blake at the Dhaka airport on Friday afternoon.

Johnson is scheduled to meet his Bangladeshi counterpart AH Mahmood Ali at 7:30pm when Dhaka expects an announcement on the lifting of the UK’s ban of direct cargo flights from Dhaka.

His visit comes amid global calls to ensure safe and voluntary return of Rohingyas as Bangladesh and Myanmar has signed deals to start the repatriation.

There are now more than 1 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh after nearly 700,000 fled violence in Myanmar that flared up in late August last year.

Johnson is expected to travel to the southeastern district of Cox’s Bazar on Saturday to visit the refugee camps of Rohingyas. He is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before heading to Myanmar the same day.

The British government, MPs of the House of Commons, political parties and the people have raised a strong voice against the oppression on the Rohingya people by Myanmar military and pursued the issue within the Security Council.

The UK has also extended £59 million assistance since Aug 25 last year, the day the Myanmar military began a crackdown in the Rakhine State that resulted in nearly 700,000 Rohingyas crossing the border into Bangladesh.

Issues of bilateral cooperation, next Commonwealth Summit to be held in London in early 2018, and Brexit would also be discussed during the visit.

The 52-year-old former London mayor had campaigned for Britain to leave the EU. A Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, he was appointed foreign secretary on July 13, 2016.