Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has requested Singapore to influence Myanmar in finding a durable solution to the Rohingya crisis as the city state is the present chair of Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
In an article published in The Straits Times on Monday, the premier said Bangladesh is facing an ‘unprecedented crisis’ due to the influx of more than a million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.
Hasina began her first official visit to Singapore on Sunday, the first such visit to the city state by the country's head of government in over a decade.
In the article, titled “Growing the bonds that link Singapore and Bangladesh”, Hasina stressed the need of growing the bond between Bangladesh and Singapore that was established by diplomatic relations since early 1972.
She admired the socio-economic development Singapore achieved during past few decades as it turned into one of the richest countries in the world, even with almost similar gross domestic product with its other Asian neighbours.
Hasina mentioned that the two countries are closely connected through trade, commerce, education and labour flows. “The trade volume between Bangladesh and Singapore stands at over US$2.5 billion per year,” she wrote.
Bangladesh looks forward to working with Singapore to achieve development aspirations, Hasina wrote. Singapore has capital, advance technology and know-how while Bangladesh has a large pool of easily available and trainable workforce, advantages that can be harnessed together for mutual benefit, she wrote.
A good number of Bangladeshi workers have been contributing to the development and economy of Singapore, reports bdnews24, according to Hasina’s article.
She hoped her visit will deepen the ties bringing betterment for the people in both countries.
