Home Minister Seeks Larger Norwegian Investment, Rohingya Repatriation Support

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday called for increased Norwegian investment in Bangladesh and urged stronger international support for the safe, dignified, and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar during a high-profile meeting with the Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Håkon Arald Gulbransen. 

The ambassador paid a courtesy call on the minister at his office at the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Bangladesh Secretariat, where the two sides discussed bilateral trade, investment, renewable energy, climate cooperation, and the ongoing Rohingya crisis.

Welcoming Norway’s growing focus on trade and investment, Ahmed formally invited Norwegian investors to explore burgeoning opportunities in Bangladesh’s renewable energy, information and communication technology (ICT), shipbuilding, and packaging sectors. 

He also emphasized the significant potential for expanding exports of Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals, leather goods, IT services, jute products, and handicrafts to the competitive Norwegian market.

The minister stressed the critical need for enhanced cooperation in renewable energy and environmentally sustainable technologies, noting Bangladesh’s structural vulnerability to climate change. 

To mitigate these challenges, he called for greater bilateral collaboration through international initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Norfund’s Climate Investment Fund.

On the Rohingya humanitarian issue, Ahmed thanked Norway for its continued financial and humanitarian assistance, as well as its sustained support through the Norwegian Refugee Council. 

However, he pointed out that the prolonged presence of a large Rohingya population in Bangladesh continues to create significant economic and security challenges for the host nation. 

Consequently, he urged Norway and the wider international community to take a much more proactive role in ensuring the Rohingyas’ safe return to Myanmar.

In response, Ambassador Gulbransen praised Bangladesh’s steady socio-economic progress and officially reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to expanding bilateral trade and investment, as well as supporting Bangladesh’s overall development and security framework. 

He also reiterated Norway’s long-term commitment to cooperation and solidarity with Bangladesh on issues of mutual interest in various international forums, including the United Nations. 

The bilateral meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka.