Shawdesh Desk:

French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly on Monday emphasized mounting more pressure on Myanmar to take their Rohingya nationals back from Bangladesh.

“More pressure on Myanmar should be mounted,” she said when she met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office.

PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

Karim said the French Minister assured her country’s support towards Bangladesh on Rohingya issue in the coming days.

She also highly appreciated Bangladesh for handling the crisis.

Florence Parly also said there are many things in common with Bangladesh and both the countries are working together in different sectors across the globe, especially in peacekeeping missions.

She expressed her keen interest to provide training in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University.

They also discussed the coronavirus situation in their respective countries and elsewhere in the world.

The Prime Minister said two of the three identified corona virus infected people in Bangladesh came from Italy. “The infected people have been isolated and kept in a hospital (for treatment),” she said.

Regarding celebration of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina said it will be done in different ways considering the prevailing situation across the world caused by the corona outbreak.

In the defence sector, she said, the government has its highest priority to training and sought French assistance in this connection.

About the Bangabandhu Satellite, Hasina said the government will go for Bangabandhu Satellite-II as the lifetime of the satellite is 15 years.

She also said Bangladesh is happy with the existing cooperation in the area of defence between the two countries. “Bangladesh would be happy to see greater cooperation with France in this sector.”

She also recalled with gratitude the support of French government, its people and leading intellectuals, including renowned novelist Andre Malraux, during the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, Defence Secretary Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury and French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marin SCHUH were, among others, were present during the meeting.