Rohingya influx can't deter Bangladesh's progress: PM

LONDON, Oct 6 (UNB): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the country will surely make its great strides in development despite the inflow of tens of thousands of forcibly evicted Myanmar nationals into it.

"We, the Bangalee nation, fought and liberated the country at the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman . . . we never got scared in the face of any problem. We rather want to advance further by tackling it (problem)," she said.

The Prime Minister made the remarks while exchanging views with Awami League leaders based in the United Kingdom (UK) and other European countries on Thursday.

Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

Hasina said discussions with Myanmar have already begun to resolve the crisis with the recent visit of its Minister of the Office of State Counsellor Kyaw Tint Swe to Bangladesh.

"But, Bangladesh extended shelter to the victims of the forced exodus on humanitarian grounds as the people of this country always believed in humanity," she said.

Hasina said, "Human beings are for human beings... we can't throw them (Myanmar people) out into the Bay of Bengal (and). If we could feed 160 million people, we can also feed additional 0.5 to 0.7 million people at their time of distress."

She further said, "If necessary, we'll take one meal a day and share another with these distressed people . . . we're not that rich but our heart is big enough and we stand for mankind."

The Prime Minister said the hapless Rohingya people who fled to Bangladesh will be shifted to an island called 'Bhasan Char' from Cox's Bazar.

Hasina who along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana visited the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar before flying to New York to attend the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly narrated the horrifying stories she heard from the fleeing women and children from the Rakhine State of Myanmar.