Visiting Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım on Tuesday told BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia that their country has been working for a permanent solution to Rohingya crisis as it thinks Myanmar nationals who fled persecution in Rakhine state should be sent back to their homeland.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the remarks after a meeting between Binali Yıldırım and Khaleda at Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in the city, reports the UNB.

‘The Turkish Prime Minister said they think the displaced Rohingyas must be repatriated to their homeland, and permanent solution to the crisis is very crucial. They (Turkey) have been maintaining contacts with different countries and global agencies to this end,’ Fakhrul said while briefing reporters about the meeting.

He said the Binali Yıldırım came here to visit Rohingyas and talk to the Bangladesh government over how the displaced people can be sent back to their own country with dignity.

The BNP leader said the Turkish Prime Minister also told them that their government and people are very sympathetic to Rohingyas, and they have been working in this regard from the very beginning of the crisis, the BNP leader said.

Apart from Rohingya issue, he said different other issues relating to Bangladesh’s current political situation and the country’s upcoming general election were also discussed in the 45-minute meeting.

‘We’ve also discussed what will be our role and the government’s one in the next general election.  We’ve also discussed the government’s different activities,’ Fakhrul added.

Turkey, the current chair of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), took a firm stance on stopping the persecution on Rohingyas from the beginning of the Rohingya crisis.

Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan and Turkish Fireign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar in September last.

Fakhrul, BNP standing committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, chairperson’s advisory council member Sabihuddin and Enamul Haque Chowdhury were present at the meeting.