Bangladesh-Australia

PID The Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of COP-26 on Tuesday.

Australia expresses interest in helping Bangladesh in Rohingya repatriation

Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said the bilateral meeting was held at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Australia. He added that the two leaders discussed issues of cooperation between the two countries. They particularly emphasized climate cooperation and Rohingya repatriation.

The Prime Minister of Australia said her country would especially assist Bangladesh in creating climate resilience and repatriating Rohingya.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is a country affected by climate change. Australia has also experienced extreme damage from climate change, including wildfires and floods. So both countries can work closely to build resilience against the effects of climate change.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has historically not been responsible for climate change, but is facing serious effects of climate change.

She said that in this context, it is important for the international community, especially the major carbon emitting developed countries, to respond to the needs of developing countries affected by the effects of climate change. Developed countries must release USD 100 billion of their promised climate funds and implement it.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for the transfer of green and clean technologies in response to the effects of climate change, the creation of resilience and the effective response to socio-economic development in the recovery of Covid-19. She thanked Australia for its continued support on the Rohingya issue. Expressing concern over the lack of progress in Rohingya repatriation to Myanmar since 2017, Sheikh Hasina called on Australia to play a role in exerting more international pressure on Myanmar.