DHAKA: Bangladesh has contributed US $1 million to the Emergency Fund of International Organization for Migration (IOM) and joined the reinforcement efforts of IOM's operational and emergency response capacity.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali handed over a cheque of US $ 1 million as Bangladesh’s contribution to the IOM Emergency Fund at a simple ceremony at the Headquarters in Geneva of Switzerland on Wednesday.

The minister was received by Ambassador Swing, the Director General of the (IOM) on his arrival at its headquarters.

Mahmood Ali commended the role of IOM in promoting migration around the world. He also thanked IOM for helping migrants in crisis situation, particularly for the support rendered to Bangladesh during the urgent repatriation of 17,410 Bangladeshis from Egypt and Tunisia.

Thanking the Foreign Minister, the IOM Director General said that the contribution symbolized the growing partnership between IOM and Bangladesh.

The DG applauded the active and substantive role Bangladesh was playing in advancing role and rights of migrants in international forums.

The contribution is also an example of burden sharing by a developing country, he added.

Foreign Minister Ali is on a 4-day visit to Geneva beginning March 3 which to attend the High Level segment of the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council. His participation also marks the third term of Bangladesh being elected to the 47-member Council for the period 2015 to 2017.
 
External Publicity Wing of Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release on Thursday in this regard.

BDST: 1501 HRS, MAR 5, 2015