Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh holds a zero-tolerance policy against illegal migration.
“We don’t want anyone to migrate illegally as well. We show zero tolerance on this matter,” she said when visiting UK Minister of State ((Indo-pacific) in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Anne-Marie Trevelyan paid a courtesy call on her at PM’s official residence Ganabhaban.
Briefing the media after the meeting PM’s speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam said Anne-Marie raised the issue of illegal migration saying that the UK welcomes legal migration.
Noting that illegal migration is a problem for the United Kingdom, she said the Bangladeshi nationals who are in irregular situations in the UK should return home.
The UK minister of state welcomes the move to sign a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) between Bangladesh and the UK soon for the identification and return of persons without any authorisation to stay.
The prime minister sought the UK's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Bangladesh and offered it lands in special economic zones here.
She said Bangladesh will purchase 10 aircraft in phases from the European manufacturer Airbus.
Anne-Marie raised the issues of housing, education and healthcare facilities and training on employment for Rohingyas now sheltered in Bangladesh.
In this context, the premier said there is no scope to ensure the facilities in overcrowded Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. That’s why her government built houses in Bhashanchar for them, ensuring all sorts of facilities like education, health and self-employment.
She sought the good offices of the UK for quick repatriation of the Rohingyas as they are increasing in number day by day.
Bangladesh is now hosting over one million Rohingyas who fled their homes in Myanmar to flee killings, rape and atrocities.
