Bangladesh’s interim leader seeks Malaysia’s support for repatriation of Rohingya refugees

Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is seeking Malaysia’s help in engaging a regional Southeast Asia bloc on raising the issue of repatriating Rohingya refugees home to Myanmar. Malaysia takes over the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, next year. The appeal came during a visit on Friday by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who met with Yunus in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital. It was the first visit by a foreign leader to Bangladesh since Yunus took over in August and the first state visit by a Malaysian leader to Bangladesh in 11 years. Bangladesh has been hosting 1 million Rohingya refugees who fled violence by Myanmar’s military and demand a safe return home.