Bangladesh, Myanmar agree to boost security support

Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to boost cooperation on security between the two countries, Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali announced on Thursday.

Both the countries agreed to sign two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on holding a dialogue on security, cooperation and construction of a border liaison office, the Daily Star reported.

They also expressed importance of higher-level visits between the two countries, Ali said during a press briefing at his office in Dhaka.

The Foreign Ministry organised the briefing following Wednesday's meetings of Myanmar State Minister for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tin with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Ali.

Meanwhile, Myanmar has also responded positively to Bangladesh's demand for repatriation of its Rohingya nationals, bdnews24 reported.

"It showed interest in taking back its nationals who fled to Bangladesh in the last two months after 'proper verification'," Ali said.

Ali said 65,000 Myanmar citizens crossed the border into Bangladesh after a fresh violence started in Rakhine state.

Around 33,000 Myanmar nationals had crossed the border previous to the start of the violence and are currently living in refugee camps. The Foreign Minister estimated some 300,000 other Myanmar nationals were currently living outside these camps.

Dhaka has proposed a programme to return registered and unregistered Myanmar nationals across the border to the envoy.

--IANS

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