CPA solidarity on Rohingya issue

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) member countries have extended full support to Bangladesh with commitment to stand beside the country on resolving Rohingya crisis.

The commitment came following Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali's briefing before the CPA panel that started today at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

The members who attended the conference termed the atrocities against Rohingyas in Myanmar as "genocide" which can't be tolerated.

READ MORE: CPA conference starts

MPs of Malaysia, Pakistan, Canada and UK were present at the conference.

More than 550 delegates from 144 national and provincial parliaments of 44 countries joined the conference. A total of 52 countries are members of CPA.

"The Rohingyas must be able to return to their original place of residence in the Rakhine state," the minister said.

The foreign minister in a written statement also asked CPA members to "take a united stand against all discriminatory policies and activities that run counter to human rights and good relations between countries, and that any such policies are thwarted and not allowed to thrive for upholding democratic principles globally."

"About a million persecuted, disenfranchised, stateless people is vulnerable to any kind of radical ideas or instigation. Deep frustration and hopelessness of the forcibly displaced population could create condition ripe for radicalization and destabilize the region and beyond," the minister added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the annual CPA conference at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The inaugural programme of the CPA conference was held around 9:30am with Bangladesh Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury in the chair.

The CPA and Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad are jointly hosting the conference with the theme: Continuing to enhance the high standards of performance of parliamentarians.

Fighting corruption, empowering women and ensuring transparency in the activities of top officials of Commonwealth countries are likely to feature prominently at the conference.