Dhaka, 22 December:

Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Bangladesh Archbishop Kevin S. Randall paid maiden call on Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Ambassador Masud Bin Momen on Thursday, December 21, at his office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Foreign Secretary congratulated Archbishop Kevin S. Randall on his assumption of responsibilities as the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Bangladesh and assured him full support in discharging his responsibilities.

The Foreign Secretary highlighted Bangladesh’s glorious history of religious harmony and age-old tradition of peaceful coexistence of the people of different religions. He commended the significant role played by the Christian community in Bangladesh through their noticeable involvement in promoting education and social services.

The Apostolic Nuncio appreciated religious harmony in Bangladesh and expressed satisfaction at the constitutional guarantee to freedom of religion. The Foreign Secretary commended the Holy See’s constructive role in promoting global peace and harmony and hoped that the Holy See would apply its high moral standing to impress people across the globe to respect the sacred values and religious symbols of all religions.

The Foreign Secretary deeply appreciated Pope Francis’ personal commitment to the cause of over 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas, who fled atrocities in their homeland in Myanmar, and briefed the Apostolic Nuncio about the Rohingyas in Bangladesh and the need for their safe, voluntary and dignified return to their homeland Myanmar at an early date.

He urged the Holy See to encourage Myanmar authorities to create conducive environment for the sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas.