Shama seeks stronger parliamentary advocacy for Rohingya repatriation

She made the call during a meeting with visiting Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Secretary General Anda Filip at the Foreign Ministry, according to a ministry press release.

Referring to the “untenable situation” arising from the prolonged Rohingya crisis, Shama stressed the need for parliamentarians worldwide to keep the issue high on the international agenda and help create conditions conducive to the return of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas.

Bangladesh has been hosting more than one million forcibly displaced Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, with successive attempts to begin their repatriation to Myanmar failing amid the absence of conditions for safe and sustainable return.

During the meeting, the state minister also briefed Filip on the government’s efforts to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions, reaffirming its commitment to inclusive governance and accountability.

The IPU Secretary General welcomed the initiatives undertaken by the government to strengthen democratic institutions.

She reaffirmed the IPU’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Bangladesh through parliamentary exchanges, experience sharing and capacity-building initiatives aimed at further advancing democratic practices.

Shama welcomed Filip to Bangladesh and congratulated her on becoming the first woman Secretary General of the IPU in the organisation’s more than 130-year history.

She appreciated the IPU’s longstanding role in promoting parliamentary democracy, peace, human rights and inter-parliamentary cooperation.

The state minister also raised growing concerns over digital harassment, misinformation and disinformation, particularly targeting women and girls.

She called for stronger parliamentary cooperation to promote digital safety and address emerging threats in the digital space, reports BSS.