Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh is giving shelter to Myanmar refugees on humanitarian ground, but not forever, reports UNB. “We’ve given shelter to them (Myanmar refugees) on humanitarian ground, but we cannot keep them forever,” she said when French Ambassador to Bangladesh Sophie Aubert met her at her Parliament office. Sheikh Hasina urged the international community to mount pressure on Myanmar to take its nationals back. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said the Prime Minister said the ongoing problem in Rakhine, Myanmar cannot be solved through military actions. “This can be solved through a political process,” she said. In Bangladesh, Hasina said, there was problem in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Bangladesh solved it through talks. “We’ve negotiated with them, settled the matter internally and then took back our nationals,” she said. The Prime Minister said she is looking forward to visiting France at the end of the next month when she will hold a meeting with the French President.

Sophie Aubert said her country is ready to help Bangladesh in this refugee issue. She said the overall security situation in Bangladesh has improved a lot and appreciated the Prime Minister for her pragmatic leadership. The Ambassador hoped that the next general election in Bangladesh will be peaceful. Aubert said the cooperation between Bangladesh and France in energy and water sectors has increased a lot. “We’re also working together on climate change issue.”