Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh has given shelter to the displaced members of Myanmar’s Rohingya community purely on humanitarian grounds, describing it as a big burden on the country, reports UNB. When visiting Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called on her at her official residence Ganobhaban in the evening, the Prime Minister also said the international community must take the responsibility in this regard.

PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters that Sheikh Hasina informed the Turkish First Lady about Bangladesh government’s humanitarian activities for the refugees.

She said the government has taken initiatives for identification of the Rohingya refugees as it wants to ensure that no terrorist under the guise of refugee enters Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister also reiterated her government’s steadfast stance against all sorts of terrorism, saying, “We won’t allow our land to be used by any insurgent or for terrorist activities against any country. Terrorists have no religion and territorial identity.”

The Turkish First Lady appreciated Bangladesh for giving shelter to the displaced Myanmar nationals, saying Turkey is trying to mobilise global opinions against the persecution as the entire world has the responsibility to resolve the crisis.

She said Turkey will raise the issue at the upcoming OIC Summit in Kazakhstan.

The Turkish First Lady said her country realises the problems of giving shelter to a huge number of refugees following its experience of giving refuge to three million people after the Syrian crisis.

Emine Erdogan shared her experience of visiting refugees at the Rohingya camp in Kutupalang of Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhia upazila, saying the refugees need urgent health care services.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister praised the Turkish government’s successful handling of the coup attempt against the elected government with the support of the people, saying ‘people’s power is supreme one’.

She also pointed out the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by some disgruntled army officers, saying after the heinous incident, Bangladesh had to witness 19 coup attempts.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, PM’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Turkish Ambassador in Bangladesh Devrim Ozturk and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury were present.