Rohingya Deal: Govt 'sold itself' to Myanmar

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday alleged that the government had “sold itself” to Myanmar by signing the Rohingya repatriation instrument with the neighbouring country.

"Under which compulsion have you [government] sold yourself to Myanmar without understating the country's interests? You should tell the nation from where you received the pressure to do so," he said.

He claimed that the instrument was signed accepting all conditions of Myanmar.

Fakhrul came up with the comment while speaking at a discussion arranged by Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, marking BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman's 53rd birthday.

On Thursday, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an instrument on the Rohingya repatriation with high hopes that the forcibly displaced Rohingyas would start returning to their homeland within the next two months.

Fakhrul said UN body UNHCR voiced concern over the agreement as the condition of Myanmar was not suitable for safe and sustainable return of the Rohingyas.