SINGAPORE, Mar 12 (UNB): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinaon Monday urged Singapore to request Myanmar for resolving the Rohingya crisis quickly as it is a big problem and burden for Bangladesh.
She made the call during her meeting with President of Singapore Halimah Yacob and the official meeting with her Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong at Istana.
Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque briefed reporters after the meetings.
"The prime minister said it's a big problem for us. It's a burden which needs to be resolved," he said.
Since Singapore and Myanmar are the chair and member of Asean respectively, Sheikh Hasina told them that Singapore can pursue the Myanmar government that the stability and development of that region depend on the repatriation of Rohingyas.
Noting that Bangladesh has already signed a bilateral agreement over the repatriation of Rohingyas, Hasina said the implementation of agreement is being delayed for many reasons.
She said Bangladesh continues to shelter more than one million Rohingyas. Of them, some 0.7 million Rohingyas have recently taken shelter in Bangladesh fleeing persecution in Rakhine state in Myanmar.
The Singaporean President highly praised Hasina for her leadership role, particularly in women emancipation and gender issue.
Three issues -- Rohingya, business sector including seaport, and easy movement seafarer in Singapore- got priority in the discussions at the two meetings, Shahidul said.
At both the two meetings, Hasina said seafarers are now facing problem for movement in Singapore and urged the Singapore government to solve it.
In response, both the Singaporean President and its Prime Minister agreed that they will consider it.
