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PM Sheikh Hasina Urges IOM for Rohingya Refugee Assistance
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to secure additional funding from diverse sources to aid Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh during a courtesy meeting with its Director General (DG), Amy Pope, at Ganabhaban.
Quoting the PM, her Speech Writer M Nazrul Islam conveyed her concern over dwindling funds for Rohingya assistance and encouraged the IOM to seek new partnerships to bolster support for the displaced Myanmar nationals.
In a subsequent media briefing at the PM’s official residence, Islam disclosed that PM Sheikh Hasina also urged the IOM to facilitate the relocation of Rohingyas to Bhashanchar, where accommodations for up to one lakh Rohingyas have been prepared with essential amenities such as education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
Approximately 30-35 thousand Rohingyas have already been relocated to Bhashan Char.
During the meeting, the IOM DG raised security concerns within the Rohingya camps, prompting assurances from PM Sheikh Hasina regarding adequate deployment of security personnel to ensure the safety of the refugees.
Highlighting the internal conflicts among Rohingya groups, the PM acknowledged the demographic shift in localities due to the large Rohingya population.
Pope emphasized the importance of providing language and cultural training to migrants to enhance their skills according to the demands of host countries. In response, PM Sheikh Hasina highlighted the government’s emphasis on vocational and linguistic training, with 112 Technical Training Centres (TTCs) established nationwide.
PM also underscored poverty reduction as a means to mitigate migration, outlining various government programs aimed at supporting migrants, including providing loans without collateral.
She emphasized the responsibility of both host and source countries in safeguarding the interests of migrants and addressing climate-induced migration, particularly in Bangladesh’s vulnerable coastal areas.
PM Sheikh Hasina reiterated that migration, including internal displacement due to climate change-induced factors such as river erosion, floods, and cyclones, is a natural phenomenon. She underscored the importance of comprehensive measures to address these challenges, including the provision of housing and support for affected communities.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate change, the PM mentioned the government’s efforts to provide housing to over 4000 climate refugees in Khurushkul, Cox’s Bazar. Additionally, she emphasized ongoing initiatives to construct climate-resilient housing in coastal areas and floating houses in flood-prone regions, all aimed at providing shelter to vulnerable populations.
The meeting also addressed the broader issue of migration, with PMSheikh Hasina emphasizing the need for collaboration between host and source countries to protect the rights and interests of migrants. She highlighted Bangladesh’s commitment to supporting its migrant workers, including through skills training and access to financial resources.
The PM’s remarks underscored the government’s multifaceted approach to addressing the complex challenges of migration and climate change, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and support in mitigating these issues.
Reviewing the U.S. Stock Markets, the Nasdaq Composite, recorded a decent loss of 1,023 points, reaching a closing value of 16,690 points by the end of the week. Similarly, the S&P 500 index showed a positive trend, losing 240 points to settle at 5,408 points. Meanwhile, DJIA Index experienced a notable hike, adding 1,218 points during the week and concluding at 40,345 points after a week of gaining.
In contrast, Russell 3000 Index saw a loss in week performance, with a slight drop of 141 point to reach 3,077 points by the end of the week.
Moving to Russell 2000 Index, demonstrated a notable lost of 126 points, ending the week at 2,091 points.
In the Outgoing week, the European stock market displayed a mixed performance.
Here is the data on the weekly performance of the European Stock Market, The STOXX Europe 600 index, which is considered a leading benchmark for the European market and covers approximately 90 percent of the market capitalization across 17 countries, reported a loss of 18.49 points to close at 506.56.
The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100, one of the most widely followed indices in Europe, also showed a significant drop, losing 195 points or finishing the session at 8,181.
In Germany, the DAX 30 index, added by 605 points to reach 18,301, while France’s CAC 40 decreased by 278 points to stop at 7,352 at the end of the trading day.
Italy’s FTSE MIB, which covers the top 40 stocks traded on the Milan Stock Exchange, decreased by 1,081 points to 33,291. However, Spain’s IBEX 35, lost by 228 points, to close at 11,173.
A review of South Asian stock markets shows that India’s Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) index BSE Sensex has lost 1,182 points during the week. At the end of the week, the index stood at 82,365 points. On the other hand, the Nifty-50 index of the country’s National Stock Exchange dropped by 383 points last week. At the end of the week, the index stood at 24,852 points.
Pakistan Stock Exchange Index ‘KSE 100’, added 459 points last week. After a week of losing, the index settled at 79,002 points.
On the other hand, The Sri Lankan stock market index loss, and the Colombo Stock Exchange index ‘ASPI’ decreased by 94 points in a week. After a week the index settled at 10,775 points.
Bhutan’s stock market index ‘BSI’ dropped by 9 points hence the index stood at 1,500 points throughout the whole week. Nepal’s ‘NEPSE’ lost 22 points, therefore the index stands at 2,727 points.
Hence Dhaka Stock Exchange: The benchmark index ‘DSEX’ lost by 75.77 points or 1.31 percent, in the outgoing week. At the end of the week, the index stands at 5,728 points.
