Bangladesh denies US request to shelter Afghan people

People try to get into Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan August 16, 2021. REUTERS

DHAKA — Bangladesh rejected a request from the US to give temporary shelter to a certain number of people from Afghanistan, saying Bangladesh is already facing huge challenges by giving shelter to over 1.1 million Rohingyas.

“Yes, we’ve received a request from the US. We thanked them but rejected the request,” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told UNB over phone.

The foreign minister said the request came from diplomatic channels in Washington and in Dhaka.

“Don’t put us in further trouble,” he said, mentioning what Bangladesh conveyed to the US after receiving the request.

The US side first reached out to the Bangladesh ambassador in Washington with the request which was later conveyed to Dhaka.

Momen said Bangladesh wanted to know the name of the countries that the US requested for giving people from Afghanistan temporary shelters and how many people were to take the shelter. “No specific reply was found.”

Earlier, the foreign minister said Bangladesh will welcome the new government in Afghanistan if it is a government supported by its people.

“We believe in people’s government. We believe in a government which is liked by its people. We believe in democratic government,” he said, adding that Bangladesh’s door will surely remain open if the Taliban government becomes a government supported by its people.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said Bangladesh is carefully observing the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan, which, Bangladesh believes, may have an impact on the region and beyond.

“We urge all stakeholders in Afghanistan to maintain peace and calm ensuring safety and security of all including foreign nationals,” said the statement.