Swiss president for safe Rohingya repatriation, offers additional financial assistance  

Visiting Swiss President on Monday laid emphasis on safe and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya refugees and offered additional financial assistance aid for the displaced people.

President Alain Berset also appreciated Bangladesh for its role in dealing with one of the biggest humanitarian crisis.

"Switzerland commends your government and the people of Bangladesh for the solidarity, assistance and protection offered to the Rohingyas," said President Berset said in a statement after his official talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Berset said his country pledged eight million Swiss Francs at the conference in Geneva in October for emergency humanitarian aid for the Rohingya refugees in the country.

"And I'm very pleased to announce today that this year Switzerland will provide an additional 12 million Francs for the Rohingya refugees," he added.

UNB agency says he termed the agreement on repatriation between Bangladesh and Myanmar as a positive step towards a solution to the current crisis.

"It'll be important that all returns are voluntary and safe, and carried out in dignity," said the Swiss President.

President Berset, who is on a four-day official tour, will visit Cox's Bazar on Tuesday to see Rohingya situation first hand.

He will leave Dhaka for Cox's Bazar at 9 am by a Swiss Federal Council Jet and is expected to reach there at 9:40am.

He will visit the Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar from 11:30 am to 1:50 pm on Tuesday.

The Swiss President will also talk to local press at Kutupalong camp, said the official.

He will leave for Dhaka at 3:15 pm and meet civil society representatives in the capital.