by RK Desk
Dhaka | August 11, 2026
Bangladesh has urged Sweden to increase support for Rohingya refugees and help keep the crisis high on the international agenda, as officials from the two countries discussed repatriation, refugee protection, migration and bilateral cooperation in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Nicolas Linus Ragnar Weeks met Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
During the meeting, Salahuddin sought greater Swedish assistance to improve living conditions for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
He noted Sweden’s role as co-chair of the Rohingya Donor Group and said the country could play an important role in maintaining international attention on the prolonged crisis.
Salahuddin described the Rohingya crisis as a major challenge to regional security and reiterated Bangladesh’s position that a safe, dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar remains the long-term solution.
The Swedish ambassador stressed the importance of safe repatriation and rehabilitation of Rohingya and expressed Sweden’s interest in supporting education as well as the safety and protection of Rohingya women and children.
The discussion comes as the Rohingya humanitarian response faces continuing pressure from declining international funding, while conditions inside Myanmar remain unsuitable for large-scale voluntary return.
More than one million Rohingya continue to live in Bangladesh, primarily in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, while renewed conflict in Arakan State has displaced further communities in recent years.
Bangladesh has repeatedly called for stronger international involvement in creating conditions inside Myanmar that would allow Rohingya to return voluntarily, safely and with dignity.
Any sustainable return would require guarantees concerning security, citizenship and legal status, freedom of movement, access to essential services and protection from renewed persecution.
Tuesday’s meeting also covered irregular migration and human trafficking.
The Swedish ambassador expressed concern that some Bangladeshis seeking to migrate to Sweden are being exploited by trafficking networks and false promises of opportunities abroad.
Salahuddin said Bangladesh was taking measures against human trafficking and irregular migration, including nationwide awareness programmes conducted in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration.
The two sides also discussed technical education, skilled migration and bilateral trade.
The home minister sought Swedish cooperation in modernising technical training and preparing Bangladeshi workers for employment opportunities in Europe, including growing demand for caregivers and other skilled workers.
The Swedish ambassador said Bangladesh is the only South Asian country covered by Sweden’s Bilateral Cooperation Strategy and noted expanding trade and investment links between the two countries.
He said around 10,000 Bangladeshis currently live in Sweden, many of them students.
For Bangladesh, however, the Rohingya crisis remained a central issue in the talks, with the government calling for continued Swedish humanitarian assistance and diplomatic engagement toward creating conditions for a sustainable solution in Myanmar.
