DHAKA, 17 August 2021, (TON): Bangladesh rejected a request from the US to give temporary shelter to a certain number of people from Afghanistan, saying Bangladesh is already facing huge challenges by giving shelter to over 1.1 million Rohingyas.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told UNB over phone "yes, we've received a request from the US. We thanked them but rejected the request."

The foreign minister said “the request came from diplomatic channels in Washington and in Dhaka.”

"Don't put us in further trouble," he said, mentioning what Bangladesh conveyed to the US after receiving the request.

The US side first reached out to the Bangladesh ambassador in Washington with the request which was later conveyed to Dhaka.

Momen said “Bangladesh wanted to know the name of the countries that the US requested for giving people from Afghanistan temporary shelters and how many people were to take the shelter. "No specific reply was found."

Earlier, the foreign minister said Bangladesh will welcome the new government in Afghanistan if it is a government supported by its people.