UN rights chief Bachelet to start Bangladesh visit on Sunday

She will meet Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar for “an in-depth view to press harder for their repatriation”

The United Nations human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, will start her four-day visit to Bangladesh on Sunday.

The foreign ministry announced the first-ever official visit by a UN human rights chief to the country in a statement on Saturday.

“Apart from meeting with the members of the Cabinet Division, she will interact with the National Human Rights Commission, youth representatives, leaders of civil society organisations and academicians during her trip,” the statement read.

Apart from her meetings with ministers, she will interact with the National Human Rights Commission, youth representatives, civil society leaders and academics during her Dhaka tour.

She is expected to pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Aug 15.

She will also visit Cox’s Bazar to interact with the Rohingya refugees to receive “concrete information to press hard” the agenda of their repatriation to their homeland Myanmar.

Foreign ministry officials said Bachelet is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, aside from meetings with several ministers.

Bachelet, who served as the president of Chile for two terms, took office at the United Nations Human Rights Council in August 2018.