Home Adviser Lt. Gen. Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) has called for international pressure on Myanmar for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees (forcibly displaced Myanmar citizens).
“Exert more international influence on Myanmar for repatriation of Rohingya refugees,” he requested the international community when a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) led by Filippo Grandi paid a courtesy call on him at the ministry office at Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital on Thursday afternoon.
Various issues related to Rohingya repatriation to Myanmar, security and economic problems caused by them, their relocation in Bhashan Char, and problems arising from the suspension of financial assistance by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have been prominently discussed in the meeting, said a home ministry press release.
Welcoming the High Commissioner, the adviser said that Bangladesh has been sheltering 1.3 million Rohingya refugees for long on humanitarian grounds.
“As Bangladesh is a densely populated country, social and economic problems have increased in the Rohingya-populated areas and they are involved in various criminal activities. So, the national security as well as the regional security are being disrupted,” he said.
Thanking the adviser for Bangladesh's humanitarian and generous approach towards Rohingya, the UN High Commissioner said that the Rohingya refugees have been forced to seek refuge in Bangladesh after being persecuted and displaced in their own country, Myanmar.
The High Commission assured of continuing their support to Bangladesh for repatriation of Rohingya refuges in this regard.
Jahangir said that if they continue to shelter the Rohingyas, the future government of Myanmar may not take them back.
Mentioning that the Rohingyas are citizens of Myanmar, therefore, their primary responsibility for their repatriation lies with them.
The Home Adviser said, “If the United States stops assisting the Rohingyas through USAID, then I request the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to provide funds for the Rohingyas through donor agencies and other development partners.”
The meeting was attended by UNHCR's Director of the Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau Hai Kyung Jun, UNHCR Country Representative Sumbul Rizvi, UNHCR Bangladesh Office Senior External Relations Officer Romain Desclous, and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Source: BSS
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
