BNP dismisses PM's proposal for safe zone for Rohingyas

The BNP yesterday rejected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's proposal to build some safe zones for Rohingyas inside Myanmar, terming it dangerous for Bangladesh.

"We are rejecting the prime minister's concept of safe zone. It will be harmful, dangerous and will go against the interest of Rohingyas and Bangladesh as well,” said BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

He said Hasina placed a five-point proposal, including setting up of safe zone in Myanmar for Rohingyas, before the United Nations General Assembly as part of solution to the Rohingya crisis.

The party urged the prime minister to refrain from repeating the phrase “safe zone” as the concept did not work in many countries, said the BNP leader.

He, however, offered no explanation why the idea would be bad for Bangladesh.

Mosharraf also announced a four-point recommendation to get solution to the Rohingya crisis.

The recommendations are: the government will have to forge a national unity to face the Rohingya crisis and to mount pressure on Myanmar to take back its people.

The Rohingyas, who have fled to Bangladesh in the face of persecution, will have to be recognised as refugees, he said.

Diplomatic pressure in association with the UN will have to be mounted on Myanmar so that it gives citizenship to the Rohingyas.

The Rohingya crisis will have to be solved in the light of the Repatriation Act inked during the tenure of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman in 1978.

Mosharraf was addressing a roundtable on “Genocide in Myanmar and The Role of Bangladesh” at a hotel in Gulshan where diplomats from different countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Spain, Saudi Arabia, European Union, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan, and representatives of many development partners were present in the discussion. Former ambassador Serajul Islam presented the keynote paper.

In his inaugural speech, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir blamed the Myanmar army for carrying out ethnic cleansing against the Rohingyas. “It is genocide. The entire world became vocal against it."

He said, “It is a big challenge for us to face the Rohingya crisis. We think this disaster will create humanitarian, social, economical and political crisis. But the government's role in this issue is in question -- they are still in a dilemma.”

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, another standing committee member of the party, said, “Prime minister's statement in the UN about safe zone is nothing but a fallacy. We all know that the safe zone concept did not work in Bosnia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka and Iraq.”

Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, “The Rohingya crisis is increasing. It is spreading across the country. I think that the BNP as a main political party of the country should take a political stance to mount pressure on the Bangladesh and Myanmar governments and international community to resolve the crisis.”

Prof Mahbub Ullah, former governor of Bangladesh Bank Salehuddin Ahmed, former foreign secretary Hemayet Uddin Ahmed, former secretary Mofazzal Karim and a number of Dhaka University teachers, among others, also spoke.