TB News: The Saudi government has urged to renew the passports of 69,000 Rohingya citizens who went to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh after the country’s independence.

A bilateral meeting was held between the Interior Minister of Bangladesh and the Deputy Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia at Hotel La Meridien in Nikunje, capital, on Sunday (May 12) afternoon.

After the meeting, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told journalists that after the independence of the country, some Rohingyas went to Saudi Arabia. We don’t know how many there are. They told us 69 thousand.

Saudi Arabian rules send them back if they don’t have a passport. In that case, Saudi Arabia had an agreement with us, they will not send back the Rohingyas, their papers will be renewed.

Home Minister said, why are we going slow in this regard? Or they came to see if we had any problems. Also, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of both countries with the delegation of Saudi Arabia.

Capacity building of our Border Guard Bangladesh, Coast Guard and Police was discussed. At the same time, we have said that the training centers in Saudi Arabia send these training centers to our country, which will strengthen the friendship between the two countries.

Which state will take responsibility for 69 thousand Rohingya in Saudi Arabia? In response to the questions of the journalists, the interior minister said that Saudi Arabia will not send anyone back. Again, the Saudi government will not give the Rohingya citizenship of that country.

But how will it be? For that they need some documents so they requested us. We signed it last year. They came to talk directly about whether we were having any difficulties there, or whether there were any loo-falls.

Will the Rohingya staying in Saudi get a Bangladeshi passport? In response to such a question, the Home Minister said that they had taken Bangladeshi passports. So we will only renew their passports. Their name and address will remain as it appears in the passport.