Foreign minister’s New York Visit: Dhaka to press for early repatriation of Rohingyas

Bangladesh will reiterate its position, seeking quick and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas, as Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen leaves for New York this morning (Sunday) to attend two important events at the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

One of the events will be on Myanmar's current situation where Bangladesh will reiterate its call to the international community for quick and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas, said Momen.

"Our priority is repatriation. They (Rohingyas) must be repatriated," he said, mentioning that much has been said about democracy and the overall situation in Myanmar.

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district and Bhasan Char.

No Rohingya was repatriated over the last four years amid the "absence of conducive environment" in Rakhine State and lack of confidence among the Rohingyas, officials said.

Momen said President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Volkan Bozkir invited him during his recent visit to Bangladesh.

UNGA President Bozkir, during his recent visit to Bangladesh, said the General Assembly has not forgotten about the Rohingyas.

"To the people I met, I'll uphold my promise to share your stories back in New York," he tweeted after visiting Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar district.

The UNGA President said basic rights, including citizenship, and the creation of conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of all Rohingyas must be respected.

"The safety and security of the Rohingya and other minorities must be secured," he said while delivering his keynote speech at the Sixth Lecture of the Bangabandhu Lecture Series at Foreign Service Academy.

Dr Momen will attend another event ahead of the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) where Bangladesh will highlight its issues related to its graduation to a developing nation.

The Foreign Minister is scheduled to leave for the United States at 4:25am today by a Qatar Airways flight, a senior official told UNB.

He will return home on June 22.