Momen requests Australia to resume visa office in Dhaka

Diplomatic Correspondent: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen requested his Australian counterpart Marise Payne to resume visa office at Australian High Commission in Dhaka which is currently shifted to New Delhi.

Alongside, he also urged to lift the air cargo restrictions as Bangladesh upgraded aviation security standards at Dhaka airport.

The Minister made requests in a bilateral meeting with Marise Payne in the capital.

A press issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Friday revealed the news.

According to the press release, Australia has assured that it would remain engaged with international community to put pressure on Myanmar for creating conducive environment for safe and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas.

Besides, Australia will continue its communication with Myanmar for solution of the Rohingya crisis as well as increase its humanitarian assistance for forcefully displaced Rohingyas living in Cox’s Bazar.

The Australian foreign minister was on a three-day visit to Bangladesh to attend third IORA Blue Economy Ministerial Conference held in Dhaka on 4-5 September 2019. Before coming to Bangladesh, Payne visited Myanmar to assess the circumstance there with regarding to Repatriation.

During the meeting, the Bangladesh foreign minister expressed his gratitude for reaffirming Australian support for the repatriation of the forcefully displaced Myanmar nationals.

He said Rohingyas are fearful to going back to Rakhine state because of trust deficit and underlined the importance of early repatriation of the Rohingyas under international observation.

In response Payne said she realizes real circumstance and ground situation as she visited Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camp.

Apart from the Rohingya issues, the two foreign ministers pledged to work together to promote peace, stability and prosperity in Indian Ocean region.

risingbd/Dhaka/September 06, 2019/Hassan/AKA