DHAKA, Nov 19, 2017 (BSS) – The visiting US Congressional delegation yesterday said that the US wants successful repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals to their homes in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
“We came to Bangladesh to bring the attention of the United States as well as the international community on the Rohingya issue…we are looking forward to their (Rohingys)successful repatriation to Myanmar,” said the delegation chief Senator Jeffrey Alan Merkley.
During a meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali at a local Hotel, Merkley said that they were impressed by the initiatives taken by the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to mobilize support for the Rohingyas.
He expressed gratitude to Bangladesh government on the humanitarian assistance it is providing to the tens of thousands of Rohingyas, who fled to the country following violence in Rakhine state on August 25.
Senator Durbin underlined that what he has experienced at the Rohingya camps yesterday was “unspeakable” and “unthinkable”.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to continue to impress upon Myanmar government on the early, safe and sustained repatriation of the Rohingyas, according to a foreign ministry statement issued here today.
The Bangladesh foreign minister welcomed the U.S. delegation to their maiden visit to Bangladesh.
He thanked Senator Merkley for the “very strong” political support from the U.S. President, the Congress, U.S. Department of State and American people on the Rohingya issue.
Ali also deeply appreciated their visit to Cox’s Bazar to have firsthand experience on the gravity and seriousness of the situation.
The foreign minister expressed his hope to sign an agreement on repatriation of Rohingyas during his forthcoming visit to Myanmar later this week.
Senator Richard Durbin, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman David N. Cicilline, U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat and other officials of the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka were present.
The delegation visited the Rohingya Camp in Cox’s Bazar yesterday.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Dipu Moni, among others, were present.