Bangladesh to create new visa category for foreigners aiding Rohingya refugees

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her government will create a new category of visa for foreigners coming to Bangladesh in aid of the Rohingya refugees to ease complications.

She informed Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar Bob Rae about the decision during a meeting at The Ritz-Carlton in Toronto on Monday morning local time before starting for Dhaka, her Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told the media.

He said Rae called it a ‘big challenge’ for Bangladesh to shelter the huge number of Rohingya refugees.

Hasina briefed the Canadian envoy about the government’s efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Rohingyas in association with different agencies.

She also told him about the preparations being made to save the refugees from sufferings in the upcoming monsoon.

Minister of Trade and Export Development, and Immigration and Career Training of Saskatchewan Jeremy Harrison called on Hasina later.

They discussed bilateral trade and commerce, Karim said.

Harrison praised the prime minister for Bangladesh’s economic development, according to her press secretary.

A business delegation led by Canadian Commercial Corporation President and CEO Martin Zablocki also met Hasina.

He said Bangladesh could use Canada’s experience in environment-friendly technologies.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Executive Chairman Kazi M Aminul Islam were also present in the meetings.