Stop Rohingya ‘genocide,’ civil society urges

Representatives of the civil society today demanded that global leaders and the United Nations (UN) put pressure on the Myanmar government to stop “genocide” and persecution against Rohingyas.

The Rohingya issue must get the highest priority and a decision on pressurising Myanmar should be adopted in the next meeting of UN Human Rights Council on September 11, they said.

Bangladesh government should strengthen its diplomatic activity and its neighbouring and friendly countries have to come forward to solve the issue.

The observations were made at a press conference organised by Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), a civil society platform, at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity auditorium in the capital.

The conference was organised following the recent influx of Rohingyas, a Muslim minority community of Myanmar, into Bangladesh.

Reading out a statement at the conference, CR Abrar, a professor of international relation of Dhaka University, said Bangladesh alone cannot take responsibility of all the Rohingya refugees.

Although Bangladesh is primarily providing shelter to the community, other neighbouring countries should also take initiative to rehabilitate them, Professor Abrar said.

“Rohingya issue has fallen into a vicious political cycle. We want a proper and peaceful solution of it,” eminent writer and columnist Syed Abul Maksud said.

Echoing Maksud, Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said, “If the Rohingya issue is not solved, situation in the region will worsen.”