DHAKA, March 1, 2019 (BSS) – Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque has said Bangladesh wants nothing but a safe, voluntary, sustainable and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
He said this during a meeting on the situation in Myanmar held at the United Nations Security Council in New York yesterday (Thursday), according to a message received here today from the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations.
UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener also briefed the UNSC on her recent visit to Bangladesh and Myanmar in this regard.
“We don’t want anything except a safe, voluntary, sustainable and dignified return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar. We expect the Security Council’s continued guardianship to resolve the crisis,” Shahidul Haque said.
“Despite our sincere efforts, the repatriation process of the Rohingyas could not begin since conducive environment for their return is yet to be created in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. What could be more unfortunate than this?” he said.
“Is Bangladesh paying for this situation for showing sympathy and providing shelter on humanitarian grounds to the forcibly displaced minority Rohingya community who faced persecution and barbaric atrocities in their own land?” he posed a question.
“The root of the Rohingya crisis lies in Myanmar and so does its solution,” he said.
Mentioning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s policy of “zero tolerance” against terrorism, Shahidul said the government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is firm and pledge-bound to ensure that not a single inch of Bangladesh’s oil could be used for the activities by any terrorist group.
The foreign secretary also mentioned the socio-economic and environmental impacts Bangladesh is facing for sheltering the displaced Rohingyas.
He also placed a three-point proposal before the UN Security Council. The proposals include full implementation of the recommendations of the Kofi Anan Advisory Commission as well as bringing again the resolution before the table of the UN Security Council to facilitate the investigation on violation of human rights and thus ensure an international supervision for safe repatriation.
Two other proposals are visiting the Rohingya camps by the UN Security Council delegation at Cox’s Bazaar and Rakhine State and creating a civil ‘safe zone’ inside Myanmar as proposed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Earlier, the Foreign Secretary met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
During the meeting, they discussed the Rohingya issue alongside other matters.
Expressing concern over the long-standing Rohingya problem, the UN Secretary General highly praised the generosity and humanity extended to the Rohingyas by Bangladesh, especially by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Besides, Guterres also praised the continued socio-economic development of Bangladesh unleashed by the present Awami League government.