Hasina calls for D-8 pressure over Rohingya repatriation

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the D-8 leaders to put pressure on Myanmar to repatriate the Rohingya refugees who have been taking refuge in Bangladesh for several years.

She made the call while addressing the 10th Summit of D-8 Organization of Economic Cooperation hosted by Bangladesh via video link from Ganabhaban on Thursday.

On the Rohingya crisis, Hasina said that the crisis is having a serious impact on the environment, society and economy of Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh has sheltered 1.1 million Rohingya citizens of Myanmar out of humanitarian considerations. From the beginning, Bangladesh has been striving for the safe, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingya people. Unfortunately, more than three years have passed but the repatriation process has yet to start.”

"If this crisis is not resolved, it could become a threat to regional security," she warned.

Leaders from Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey attended the virtual conference.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan handed over the chairmanship of the bloc to Hasina during the summit. Bangladesh will helm the organisation for the next two years.

Hasina called on the D-8 member states to enhance cooperation in various fields, including trade and commerce, youth development and information technology.

She stressed the need to utilise the youth by developing their skills, making full use of IT potential, creating the necessary legal, institutional and infrastructural framework, while bolstering connectivity and increasing cooperation to increase trade and commerce between the member countries.

Hasina said the 'strength and potential' of the youth is very important in formulating business ideas, models, innovation and technology.

“Our (D-8) youth can be encouraged to come together through business initiatives at the private and even public levels. The first D-8 Youth Conference with the D-8 Business Forum has created a rare opportunity. ”

Emphasising increased cooperation in the field of information technology, Hasina added, “We need effective partnership and greater cooperation in the field of information technology and innovation to meet the challenges ahead."

"The youth's engagement with information technology has kept our economy afloat even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic."

In the last decade, the South Asian nation has prioritised information technology to facilitate its transformation into 'digital Bangladesh,' according to the prime minister.

She also called on D-8 nations to focus on increasing trade and said the D-8 Secretariat could provide information on boosting the trade prospects between member countries. Such information will help increase trade and investment within the bloc, according to Hasina.

She further emphasised the importance of easing the visa process for businessmen in member countries and called for cooperation on climate issues for effective and sustainable development.