Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh wants a peaceful solution to Rohingya crisis with its next door neighbour Myanmar, reports UNB. "Bangladesh and Myanmar have already signed an agreement for the repatriation of Rohingyas. As a next door neighbor, Bangladesh always wants a peaceful solution to the problem," she said. The Prime Minister said this when Director-General and CEO of OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish met her at her office.

PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. He said Suleiman highly praised the Prime Minister for giving shelter to Rohingya refugees saying she has accomplished a huge humanitarian obligation by giving them shelter.

He enquired about the progress of the Rohinya repatriation, the press secretary said. Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish said OPEC wants to explore new areas of cooperation with Bangladesh. “Bangladesh is a major partner of OPEC and has a good relation of the last 32 years. Now we want to explore new areas of cooperation with Bangladesh,” he said.

Ihasanul Karim said the Prime Minister and the OFID DG discussed the issues related to mutual interests, particularly the energy issues and the ways for eradication of energy poverty.

Suleiman greeted the Prime Minister for development of Bangladesh.

The OFID DG informed the Prime Minister that about 1.3 billion people in the world are deprived of electricity.  OPEC gives priority to water and food as well as energy, he said.

Referring to the discussion with the state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, the OPEC DG said he would place a report at the council meeting of the organization in June next to do more for Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister welcomed the OFID Director General for visiting Bangladesh. She informed the DG about Bangladesh’s endeavour to meet the energy demand.

Hasina said she had taken office in 1996 when the country’s electricity generation was only 1600 mw, and then her government raised it to 4300mw in its five-year tenure.

But the capacity declined to 3200 mw during the next BNP regime. Now Bangladesh’s total electricity capacity rose to 16,350MW, she said.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that it was possible mostly due to an epoch-making decision of her government in 1996 to involve private sector in the electricity generation. The Prime Minister said she is glad to know that women are holding important positions in the OPEC.