Staff Correspondent
Australian Minister for Home Affairs, Arts, Cyber Security, Immigration & Multicultural Affairs and
Leader of the House of Australia Tony Burke MP met with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain,
recently, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Affairs Advisor thanked the Australian Minister for his visit to Bangladesh. He talked about the
background and spirit of the students-led mass upsurge that installed this Interim Government and
apprised him of the reform initiatives undertaken by the current Government to materialize the
aspirations of the people, especially the young generation. Tony Burke MP mentioned that the
Bangladeshi community in Australia and in particular in his electorate had strong support for the
student-led movement in Bangladesh. He exuded his Government’s confidence about Bangladesh’s
efforts to mend the past and build a brighter future through effective reforms.
The Australian Home Minister underscored the need for containing irregular migration while promoting
safe and regular migration. Foreign Affairs Advisor agreed with his position and stressed on effective
initiatives from both the sides for facilitating regular migration.
Foreign Affairs Advisor thanked Hon Tony Burke MP for extending his support and cooperation to the
Bangladeshi diaspora in Australia. Bangladesh is keen to work with Australia for promoting growing
bilateral trade, enhanced student enrollment in Australian institutions. Both sides highlighted the
burgeoning presence of Bangladeshi IT experts in the Australian outsourcing sector.
Foreign Affairs Advisor acknowledged Australia’s continued moral and material contributions to the
Rohingya population sheltered in Bangladesh and called for enhanced pressure from international
community on Myanmar for a sustainable solution of the crisis. ‘Only solution to the problem is the
return of Rohingyas to their homeland in a safe environment. If not addressed, it could trigger problem
with implication for the wider region and by extension for the world’ – he stated.
