Rohingya repatriation: Dhaka seeks Beijing’s engagement

Bangladesh has sought China's support in creating a "conducive environment" and engaging with Myanmar government for early repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to their ancestral land.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen had a meeting with the Special Envoy of China for Myanmar Deng Xijun on the sidelines of the 13th bilateral political consultations at the host foreign office on June 4.

During the meeting, the foreign secretary gave a detailed account of the situation of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals in Cox's Bazar.

He highlighted that the camps in Cox's Bazar are overcrowded, difficult to manage them within the limited space. Bangladesh cannot afford to shelter them for indefinite period, he added.

Masud also underlined that the international community has predominantly focused on humanitarian aid for the FDMNs rather than actively participating in the repatriation discussions with Myanmar, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The foreign secretary expressed grave concern about the ongoing conflict in Rakhine, which poses a "serious threat" to the bordering areas and could have spillover effects on Bangladesh.

He urged the special envoy to negotiate with all the stakeholders in the ongoing conflict to deescalate the situation in order not to allow any opportunist groups to take advantage of the volatile situation.

In response, the special envoy reiterated China's commitment to continue to play a constructive role to initiate the repatriation process of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh.

The idea of a tripartite mechanism among Bangladesh, China and Myanmar came six years ago in New York to evaluate the situation on the ground and take steps for the early repatriation and there had been few meetings.

The two sides agreed to remain engaged on this important issue on a regular basis.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.3 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.