UNSC must go tough on Myanmar

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) must take a strong stance against the Myanmar government for the ongoing persecution of Rohingyas in Rakhine State.

It also must put pressure on Myanmar to take back Rohingyas from Bangladesh, he said. “There should be a durable and sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis,” he said at a roundtable titled "Possible Protection for Rohingya Children". Bangla daily Prothom Alo organised the programme at its office in the capital in association with Unicef.

AKM Khairul Alam, additional secretary and also director of the department of social service at the social welfare ministry, said his department and ministry will prepare a list of Rohingya orphan children and undertake programme for their betterment.

Sharmin Khan, deputy country director of Handicap International, said One Stop Crisis Centres (OCCs) should operate in the Rohingya camps.

Humaira Farhanaz, UNFPA national programme officer for gender, adolescent and youth, said adolescent girls and young women are vulnerable to sexual abuse. Even, young boys are also being victims of sexual abuse, she said.

Monira Hassan, education specialist from Unicef in Dhaka, said the immediate solution to the crisis is to provide relief to the Rohingyas, while mid-level solution is to educate them and the long-term solution is to force Myanmar to take them back. 

Tania Nusrat Zaman, head of child rights and protection of Plan International Bangladesh, said there are Rohingya children who came here alone. For them, foster care is needed, she added.

Showvik Das Tamal, assistant external relations officer of UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh, spoke among others.