Dhaka seeks Phnom Penh support to resolve Rohingya crisis

Bangladesh today (Monday) sought Cambodian support towards a "durable solution" to Rohingya crisis as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held official talks with her Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina shakes hands with her Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen at his office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Monday, December 4, 2017.

“We have discussed some of the emerging security challenges facing our region and expressed our common resolve to fight terrorism and extremism,” Hasina said during a joint statement.

Hasina said they, during the talks, discussed some of the emerging security challenges facing the region and expressed their common resolve to fight terrorism and extremism.

“We have also discussed the Rohingya crisis that threatens the peace and stability of our region. Bangladesh continues to shelter more than 1 million Rohingyas, among them around 630,000 who fled atrocities in Myanmar and took shelter in Bangladesh recently.”

Describing Cambodia as a close regional neighbour of Bangladesh, Hasina said the two countries share common aspirations to promote peace, security and development. "We cooperate closely in many regional and global fora, including at ARF, ASEM, ACD and the UN."

The prime minister commended her Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen for the robust growth and development of Cambodia.

Sheikh Hasina said a major focus for Bangladesh this time was to intensify trade, economic and technical cooperation. "We have signed 10 bilateral agreements and MoUs during this visit," she said

The prime minister said Bangladesh has proposed holding the first Joint Commission to be headed by two foreign ministers in Dhaka next year.

Hasina said Bangladesh and Cambodia are also considering a proposal for opening resident diplomatic missions in each other's capital.