Rohingya, stranded Pakistanis put economic pressure on Bangladesh: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called the displaced Rohingya and stranded Pakistanis as burden for Bangladesh, saying they are putting pressure on country’s economy.

“Three years have already passed after Rohingya influx in Bangladesh and it’s a burden for us,” she said.

The prime minister said this while newly-appointed Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh Anne Gerard Van Leeuwen paid a courtesy call on her at her official Ganabhaban residence in capital Dhaka, reports BSS.

She added that the Rohingya are also destroying the environment and forest resources of Cox’s Bazar.

Sheikh Hasina also talked about the stranded Pakistanis, saying, “These (Rohingya and stranded Pakistanis) are creating economic pressure on Bangladesh.”

PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the newsmen after the meeting.

Talking about the Rohingya issue, the Netherlands envoy apprised of his talking about the issue with the refugees and NGO activists.

He expressed his realisation that the solution is rooted to sending back the Rohingya to their native land Myanmar.