PM seeks int’l community’s support to relocate Rohingyas

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today sought support from the international community, including Germany, to temporarily relocate Myanmar Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh to Thengar Char in Noakhali for providing them with all sorts of facilities.

"We want cooperation from the international community in this regard [relocation]," she said.

The prime minister said this when German Chancellor Angela Merkel wanted to know the present situation of the Rohingya refugees during the bilateral meeting with Bangladesh prime minister at Hotel Bayerischer in Munich.

PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. Deputy press secretary M Nazrul Islam was also present.

He said the prime minister informed the German chancellor that the Rohingyas are currently leading a miserable life in Cox's Bazar and its adjacent areas without any proper civic amenities, including sanitation.

"That's why the government wants to relocate them to another place temporarily to provide them with better facilities," the Prime Minister said.

Sheikh Hasina also said the Myanmar Rohingyas entered Bangladesh illegally and are now staying in Cox's Bazar and its adjacent areas which is a tourist spot. "Due to this, the environment of the area and tourism sector of the country is being affected to a large extent," she said.

Recently, State Minister of Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam has announced to rehabilitate the Myanmar refugees and said this is going to be a temporary arrangement as they will be repatriated to Myanmar.

Some 70,000 Myanmar Rohingyas have sought refuge in Cox's Bazar camps in Bangladesh amid persecution by Myanmar military since October last year.