Myanmar must take back all Rohingyas

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday reiterated her call to Myanmar to begin the repatriation of the Rohingyas and said that the country must take back them from Bangladesh.

“The repatriation process should start. How long will we bear the burden? … The sooner the Rohingyas are repatriated, the better it will be for all,” she said.

The PM made the comments when French Ambassador Marie-Annick Bourdin paid a farewell call on her at the Gono Bhaban yesterday afternoon.

She said international organisations and UN agencies should work inside Myanmar for the rehabilitation of the displaced Rohingyas. The work should include construction of houses for them.

Referring to the influx of 1.1 million Rohingyas into Cox’s Bazar, the PM said they outnumbered local people. “As many as 40,000 Rohingya babies have so far been born in the Rohingya camps,” she said.

In reply, the French ambassador said her country will continue to support Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue. “We started supporting Bangladesh on the issue right from the beginning and it will continue,” she said.

Marie-Annick Bourdin, however, said the situation in Myanmar for the return of Rohingyas was not conducive at present.

The ambassador also said the role France is playing in the climate change issue will continue.

While talking about the issue, Hasina said the Paris Agreement should be implemented.

Hasina said Bangladesh was contributing less to the case of carbon emission, but the country was the worst sufferers in the event of climate change.

“Coastal districts of the country will be affected for the climate change,” she said.

The premier mentioned that the government has set up a climate change resilience trust fund with Tk 1000 crore to combat climate change.

“We will erect a green belt in the coastal areas to fight climate change,” she said.

Hasina congratulated the outgoing ambassador for completing her successful tenure in Bangladesh and appreciated her commendable efforts and hard work to further strengthen and broaden bilateral relations between the two countries.

The ambassador mentioned that the people and officials are very warm and friendly.

PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman was present on the occasion.