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Thursday | November 12, 2026 | Dhaka

President calls for global action for safe Rohingya repatriation

He highlights the humanitarian, socioeconomic, security challenges posed by the prolonged crisis
 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:05 AM, 12 November 2026  Updated: 11:13 PM, 11 November 2026
Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, Duchess of Edinburgh, calls on President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at Bangabhaban in the capital on Wednesday during her official visit to Bangladesh.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged the international community to take stronger measures to ensure the safe repatriation of Rohingya refugees sheltered in Bangladesh and protect vulnerable women and children.

He made the call when Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban on Wednesday. During the meeting, the President said the Duchess’s visit carried a message of hope for the Rohingya people of Myanmar, particularly women and children facing an uncertain future.

He said her visit to the Rohingya camps would help draw greater international attention to the prolonged humanitarian crisis.

The President noted that the protracted crisis was placing immense socioeconomic and environmental pressure on densely populated Bangladesh while also raising concerns about regional security.

Welcoming the Duchess to Bangladesh, Fakhrul praised her longstanding contributions to promoting women’s dignity and empowerment, eye health and youth development.

Referring to the longstanding friendly relations between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom, he said Bangladesh remained committed to strengthening bilateral ties based on mutual respect and shared interests.

The two sides also discussed opportunities to increase British investment in Bangladesh, improve the education system and expand women’s participation in sports, among other issues.

The Duchess shared her experiences from her three-day visit to Bangladesh, including trips to Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP) and the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT).

She praised Bangladesh’s progress in women’s empowerment and recognised women’s contributions to the country’s economic development.

The President expressed hope that the Duchess’s visit would further strengthen the existing friendship and cooperation between Bangladesh and the UK.

Senior officials from the President’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the British High Commissioner and members of the Duchess’s delegation were present at the meeting.