Swiss president for safe return of Rohingyas

Swiss president Alain Berset, now in Dhaka on a four-day official visit, has said that the situation of Rohingyas is of great concern to his country and laid emphasis on their safe and voluntary repatriation to Myanmar.
He appreciated Bangladesh for its role in dealing with the biggest humanitarian crisis.
‘Switzerland commends your government and the people of Bangladesh for the solidarity, assistance and protection offered to the Rohingyas,’ president Berset said in a statement after his official talks with prime minister Sheikh Hasina at her office in Dhaka on Monday.
The Swiss president said Switzerland pledged eight million Swiss Francs at the conference in Geneva in October for emergency humanitarian aid for the Rohingya refugees in the country.
‘And I am very pleased to announce today that this year Switzerland will provide an additional 12 million Francs for the Rohingya refugees,’ he added.
He said that the agreement on repatriation between Bangladesh and Myanmar is a positive step towards a solution to the current crisis.
‘It will be important that all returns are voluntary and safe, and carried out in dignity,’ said the Swiss president.
Stating that the root of Rohingya problem lies in Myanmar, prime minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the international community, including Switzerland, to keep up pressure on Myanmar for an early peaceful solution to the crisis.
The Prime Minister came up with the call in a statement after the meeting with visiting president of Swiss Confederation Alain Berset.
‘We have had a productive meeting today. We have discussed the Rohingya crisis during bilateral talks. I have said that as the root of the problem lies in Myanmar, the solution has to be found in Myanmar,’ she said.
‘I put emphasis on full and immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission Report, as that will be critically important for the sustainable return of the Rohingya people, in safety and dignity, to their homes in Myanmar,’ the prime minister said .
‘At the meeting we have discussed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a unique opportunity to build new global partnerships,’ the PM said.
Sheikh Hasina said that both the countries agreed to conclude a framework MoU on collaboration on matters related to the implementation of Agenda 2030 in near future.
A joint declaration identifying the key areas for broader cooperation between the two countries was issued at the meeting, she said adding, ‘We may now ask our respective authorities to develop a roadmap for the implementation of our joint undertakings in a time-bound manner for the shared prosperity of our people.’
She thanked Alain Berset for making his historic first-ever official visit to Bangladesh and termed it a milestone in 45-year long diplomatic relation between the two countries.
Hasina recalled her visit to Switzerland in December 2000 at the invitation of the then president of the Swiss Confederation.
She said father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had great admiration about Switzerland for its democratic values, high economic achievement, unique foreign policy of peace, friendship and firm neutrality. ‘Bangabandhu, my father, looked at Switzerland as a model and wanted to develop Bangladesh as the Switzerland of the East,’ she added.
Switzerland was among the first few West European countries to recognize Bangladesh as an independent state on March 13 in 1972. Since then Switzerland had been an important development partner and a time tested friend of Bangladesh, she said.
Hasina appreciated the role played by Switzerland regarding the Rohingya crisis at different United Nations forums and beyond.
‘I am very happy to learn that high-powered business delegations from both countries exchanged views in the first-ever high-level Bangladesh-Swiss Business and Investment Forum held today,’ she said.
She hoped that Swiss companies would explore business opportunities in Bangladesh, and invited them to participate in sectors like oil and gas exploration, power and energy including renewable energy, critical infrastructure development, ICT, banking and insurance, and pharmaceuticals.
Terming the relation between Switzerland and Bangladesh as good, Swiss president Alain Berset said, ‘The bilateral relations between our countries are good. We have ve had the opportunity to exchange today on different areas including trade, development cooperation, cultural exchanges, and climate change, where both countries see a strong potential for development of our relations,’ he said the statement after the joint briefing.
Berset lauded Bangladesh’s efforts in further strengthening democracy and rule of law and the challenges that go with it.
He also greeted Bangladesh as it is heading towards emerging a middle-income nation. ‘We also welcome efforts in improving the business climate, legal security and the need for a sustainable business environment, including respect for human rights,’ he said.
Mentioning that the bilateral trade between the two countries has almost doubled over the past seven year, he said, ‘It is my firm belief that the Swiss-Bangladeshi trade and investment will reach new heights in the future.’
Switzerland is very much interested in continuing this path with the government of Bangladesh, the private sector and civil society organisations, said Berset adding that a particular focus on the next couple of years would be on social inclusion, economic development, governance and safe migration.
Prior to the meeting with the PM, Alain Berset visited Savar National Mausoleum and paid homage to martyrs of the War of Independence.
He signed the visitors’ book there after placing floral wreaths.
Later, the Swiss president visited Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi and paid respect to the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He placed wreaths on the portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and visited various corners of the Museum.
Cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor, state minister for foreign affairs M Shahriar Alam, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s grandson and Sheikh Rehana’s son Rezwan Siddique Bobby and Swiss ambassador in Dhaka Rene Holenstein accompanied him at the Museum.
The Swiss president signed the visitors’ book of the museum.
Later in the evening, president of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset paid a pre-dinner courtesy call on president Abdul Hamid at Bangabhabanon, said Md Joynal Abedin, press secretary to the president.
Welcoming his Swiss counterpart at Bangabhaban, president Hamid said that the visit of the Swiss President is a milestone in the history of 45-year diplomatic relations between the two friendly countries.
President Hamid hoped that this visit would play a very effective role in strengthening the existing bilateral relations in days to come.
Later, the visiting Swiss president signed a visitors’ book.
After the meeting, Swiss president and his entourage attended the state dinner hosted by President Hamid followed by a cultural function.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her special envoy and Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad, chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, cabinet ministers, chiefs of three services, lawmakers and civil and military high officials also attended dinner, hosted by president Hamid.
President Berset will visit Cox’s Bazar today to see Rohingya situation on the ground as Switzerland provides humanitarian aid for them.
He will leave Dhaka for Cox’s Bazar at 9:00am by a Swiss Federal Council Jet and is expected to reach there at 9:40am.
He will visit the Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar from 11:30am to 1:50pm and listen to the stories of horrific tortures faced by Rohingya people in Myanmar.
The Swiss President will also talk to local press at Kutupalong camp.
He will leave for Dhaka at 3:15pm and meet with civil society representatives in the capital.
President Berset arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on a four-day official visit, the first official visit by any Swiss president to Bangladesh.
The Swiss Embassy in Dhaka said that the visit would focus on solidarity with a country that is severely affected by the crisis in neighbouring Myanmar and the establishment of closer bilateral relations. 
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net