FM Urges Expats Not to Return Unless It's Emergency

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said the Covid-19 pandemic is taking a heavy toll on expatriate Bangladeshis and posing many challenges now but the storm will pass. 

He said the expatriates have no reason to worry about the visa expiration date and assured that the visa will be renewed automatically free of charge.

Momen made the remarks on Wednesday after unveiling the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the premises of Sylhet deputy commissioner's office.

He also urged the expatriates not to return home unless they have an emergency.

The minister welcomed Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's two-days Dhaka visit. ''We'll have discussions on different issues,'' he said.

Coronavirus vaccine

''There's a chance that India will make a Covid-19 vaccine and how we can get the vaccine will be discussed.''

India currently has more than 2.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 58,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University tally. Bangladesh's officially confirmed cases have surpassed 282,000 with more than 3,700 deaths.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen had earlier said Bangladesh would explore all the avenues to get quick access to the Covid-19 vaccine. 

''As part of discussions with others, we will discuss the issue (vaccine) with India. We should have all options and will head for the one which will be safer and useful for us,'' he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. 

Foreign Secretary Shringla is on a visit to Dhaka to discuss and ''take forward cooperation'' on matters of mutual interest, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka soon after his arrival on Tuesday.