Provide humanitarian aid for Rohingyas: Dhaka to int’l community

Dhaka today reiterated its call to the international community to help Bangladesh with urgent humanitarian assistances to address the current crisis and provide political support to ensure sustainable return of all Rohingya people to their homes in Myanmar.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali made the call during a diplomatic briefing this afternoon at the State Guest House Padma in Dhaka.

The foreign minister referred to the recently published report of the Kofi Annan Commission and urged the international community to pursue the Myanmar government for immediate and unconditional implementation of the recommendations of this report in its entirety for permanent solution to this crisis.

He also requested the international community to support Bangladesh for transportation of the Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, according to a Foreign Ministry press release.

Ambassadors, High Commissioners and CDAs from diplomatic Missions of Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives were present.

Foreign Minister Ali briefed the diplomats about the current situation regarding influx of Rohingyas and apprised that around 300,000 Rohingyas have already entered Bangladesh in last two weeks.

He also mentioned that Bangladesh has already been hosting 400,000 Rohingyas for three decades and currently the total number of Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh has reached more than 700,000.

"This is creating huge challenge for Bangladesh in terms of providing shelter as well as other humanitarian assistances to them," he added.

The foreign minister highlighted that Bangladesh has always preferred bilateral solution to this longstanding problem and was successful in repatriating 236,599 Rohingyas to their homeland through a bilateral agreement in 1992.

He mentioned that the 1992 Agreement recognised Rohingyas as "members of Myanmar society".

The minister also highlighted Bangladesh's efforts to address the security concerns of Myanmar particularly by proposing MoUs in 2014 on Border Liaison Office and Security Dialogue.

Minister Ali said Bangladesh has also proposed joint inspection, coordinated patrolling of border; and "joint operation" along the border. Unfortunately, Myanmar has not responded to these proposals. Rather, they have been running a malicious propaganda terming the Rohingyas as "illegal migrants from Bangladesh" and the attackers to their BGP posts as "Bengali terrorists".

The diplomats praised Bangladesh government for hosting the Rohingyas for all these years and also giving shelter to the Myanmar nationals who are fleeing violence in the Rakhine State. They also stressed on the protection of civilians in the Rakhine State.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Secretary and other senior officials of the Foreign Ministry were also present.