Foreign Minister Abdul Momen said the United States may consider accepting a good number of forcibly-displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh for filling up a large portion of the new numbers set for 2021 and 2022.
Momen appreciated US President Joe Biden’s recent announcement to enhance the admission of refugees to the US to 62,500 in 2021 and 125,000 in 2022.
He also expressed optimism that the US, as the largest humanitarian donor for the humanitarian operations for the forcibly displaced Rohingyas camped in Bangladesh, will continue to provide necessary assistance for Rohingyas, including those now settled in Bhasan Char.
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller met the foreign minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday and discussed the issues.
The US ambassador informed that, during the upcoming launch of the annual Joint Response Plan (JRP) on May 18 in Geneva, the US is expected to pledge again for a large contribution to the humanitarian operation for Rohingyas.
Momen also assured the US side on Bangladesh’s cooperation on the ongoing investigation into the genocide against Rohingyas in Myanmar, as reinitiated by the Biden administration.
The foreign minister urged the US ambassador to address the difficulties being faced by a large number of Bangladeshi student visa applicants to obtain visa interview date in the US Embassy in Dhaka, as many may lose admission and scholarship due to the delay.
The US ambassador informed that many interview slots had to be cancelled due to the lockdown.
