FM to visit Myanmar Aug 9-12

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali is expected to go to Myanmar on August 9 to see for himself whether a conducive environment has been created in Rakhine for the safe return of forcibly displaced Rohingyas.

During his four-day visit, the minister would see the preparation made so far regarding accommodation facilities, particularly installation of prefabricated houses, for the Rohingyas, said a senior foreign ministry official. 

The Myanmar nationals fled to Bangladesh after a brutal military crackdown on them in August last year.

Earlier, Ali was scheduled to go to the country on August 8, but it was deferred by a day due to the visit of Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.

She will arrive in Dhaka on August 8 as part of her three-nation tour.

Besides, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono is likely to arrive in Dhaka on August 7 on a one-day trip, a highly-placed source at the foreign ministry told The Daily Star yesterday.

Foreign ministry officials said Ali would lead a delegation of 15 members of Joint Working Group formed to facilitate Rohingya repatriation.

They also said the Commonwealth secretary-general would hold discussions with the prime minister, ministers and other public figures on the priorities and commitments agreed by leaders at the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April.

Before touring Bangladesh, Patricia will visit Sri Lanka and Brunei. In Dhaka, she will address the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies on the theme “The Commonwealth Advantage – progress and potential”.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister yesterday held a meeting with Indian State Minister for External Affairs General (retd) Vijay Kumar Singh on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN Regional Forum meeting in Singapore.

During the meeting, they discussed the current situation on the repatriation of the Rohingyas as per the agreement signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The Indian minister reassured their readiness to extend all possible cooperation and support to Bangladesh for implementation of the terms of the agreement.