BSS – Foreign Minister
Dr A K Abdul Momen today ruled out Myanmar allegation against Bangladesh over
the delay in Rohingya repatriation, saying Dhaka stands ready to send back all
displaced people to their home of origin, Rakhine.
“Myanmar alleged that repatriation has been
delayed due to Bangladesh … isn’t a propaganda? … we stand ready to start
repatriation …. whenever they want, we will give (Rohingyas) to them (Myanmar)
straightway,” he told newsmen after attending a conference at a city hotel.
Rejecting all baseless accusation,
falsification, and misrepresentation of facts against Bangladesh over Rohingya
repatriation, the foreign ministry this week issued a statement and asked
Myanmar to stop concocted campaigns
“They (Myanmar) alleged Bangladesh is not
ready for Rohingya repatriation…. But in reality, we have put all our efforts
to make it possible (repatriation),” Momen said.
Replying to a question about tentative visit
of a Myanmar delegation to Rohingya camps, the foreign minister said Bangladesh
always welcomes Myanmar delegation at the camps in Cox’s Bazar, so that they
can create trust among the Rohingyas about safe and dignified repatriation to
Rakhine.
“We are always open …. if they want to come,
they are most welcome … if they can build up the trust among Rohingyas …. they
are welcome,” Momen said.
The foreign minister said the Myanmar
authority has created the Rohingya crisis and they are the one who can resolve
it.
Pointing that Rohingyas don’t trust Myanmar
though Naypyidaw claimed that a conducive environment has been created inside
Rakhine state, Momen said, “So, they (Myanmar officials) must talk to Rohingyas
frequently for building up the trust (regarding the conducive environment).”
Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million
forcefully displaced Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district and most of them arrived
there since August 25, 2017 after a military crackdown by Myanmar, which the UN
called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” by other rights
groups.
In last two years, not a single Rohingya was
repatriated as Myanmar failed to build trust among their forcibly displaced
nationals that there is a conducive environment in Rakhine State to go back. In
the presence of Myanmar official in Cox’s Bazar during the repatriation attempt
in August 2019, the Rohingyas made it clear to the world media that they
possess strong desire to voluntarily return to their ancestral homeland if and
only if they are assured of safety, security and sustainable living in Rakhine.
As per bilateral instruments, Myanmar is
under obligation to bring back normalcy in Rakhine and create an environment
conducive for repatriation and reintegration of the Rohingyas by addressing the
root causes, including safety and security, citizenship, freedom of movement,
access to basic services and livelihood, return to places of origin or any
nearest place of their choice, Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a statement
earlier.
Unfortunately, it said, Myanmar has utterly
failed to demonstrate any political will to fulfill its obligations rather
trying to unjustifiably shift the onus on Bangladesh.