ZCZC
BSS-47
ICC-ROHINGYA-SPEAKER
BD takes strong position for building discrimination-free world: Speaker
DHAKA, July 18, 2018 (BSS) – Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said Bangladesh continued its strong position to build a world free from injustice and discrimination.
She made the comment at a symposium organised by the ICC at The Hague in the Netherlands on Tuesday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rome Statute.
According to an official release issued today by the Parliament Secretariat, the Speaker said Bangladesh admits the importance of the Rome Statute and it is continuing support to achieve all goals set by ICC.
Bangladesh would work with the world community to ensure exemplary punishment to criminals, she added.
Dr Shirin said, “This symposium is not merely a festival…. Rather it is an important platform to establish human rights to raise voices against crimes related to humanity.”
She said “Bangladesh is currently facing colossal challenges due to the unprecedented level of influx of Rohingyas from the neighboring Rakhine state of Myanmar.” These people, most of whom are women, children and elderly, are taking shelter in Bangladesh fleeing ethnic cleansing in their homeland, she added.
Since 25 August 2017, more than 600,000 Rohingyas took shelter in Bangladesh, the Speaker said adding “Earlier on several occasions, 400,000 Rohingyas had been forced to take shelter in Bangladesh. Altogether Bangladesh is currently hosting over a million Rohingyas.”
She said Bangladesh has urged the International Criminal Court to issue a ruling on the crisis created at the border by the “deportation” of the Rohingyas from Myanmar.
Dr Shirin called for the international community’s continuous and effective role in safe and permanent repatriation of the displaced Myanmar nationals to their homeland.
“As an active member state, Bangladesh expects the ICC to issue a ruling against Myanmar on the forceful deportation of the Rohingyas,” she added.
BSS/PR/MR/MMR/KU/2103 HRS