Persuade Myanmar to take back Rohingyas

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged UN Secretary General's Special Envoy Christine Schraner Burgener to persuade Myanmar to take back Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh.

She made the request when the special envoy on Myanmar met her at her office.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim said the PM mentioned that Bangladesh talked to India, China, Thailand and Laos about the Rohingya crisis.

Myanmar agreed on the participation of the UNHCR in the Rohingyas' repatriation process, the premier added.

She thanked the international community for their support to the Bangladesh government on the crisis.

Hasina said India, China and Japan were constructing houses in Rakhine for Rohingyas.

The UN secretary general's special envoy put emphasis on implementing the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine, led by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, to solve the crisis.

Burgener said she visited Cox's Bazar and was inspired to see the activities of Bangladesh authorities for the management of the Rohingya refugees.

She said she talked to the victims and found that they were still in trauma.

The UN official said she was happy to know about the steps taken by the Bangladesh government for providing shelter and education to Rohingyas.

Senior Political Affairs Adviser Shin Umezu, UNHCR Regional Representative James Lynch and IOM Deputy Chief of Mission Abdusattor Esoev were present during the meeting.

IOM DG MEETS PM

Visiting Director General of the IOM William Lacy Swing yesterday reaffirmed that his organisation would extend all sorts of support to Bangladesh for the repatriation of Rohingyas.

“We have vast experience about repatriation...we'll give you all sorts of support.... This is an extraordinary challenge for Bangladesh. Whatever we can do, we'll do that,” PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted the IOM chief as saying.

Ihsanul was briefing reporters after the International Organization for Migration (IOM) DG met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office.

The press secretary said Swing visited Cox's Bazar to witness the plight of Rohingyas.

The IOM chief said during his visit to Cox's he saw the sufferings of local people due to the influx of Rohingyas.

He thanked the Bangladesh government for its cooperation and support to the displaced Rohingya people. He said all have to work together to resolve the crisis.

Hasina said she didn't know how long the Rohingyas would stay in Bangladesh.

She mentioned that the government was preparing an island to relocate the Rohingyas from Cox's Bazar. “This is to ensure better living conditions for them.”

The PM said the August-September is the flooding season in Bangladesh while October-November is a cyclone time. “Keeping that in mind, we have prepared the shelter in the island. There will be cyclone shelters in that island.”

The government would provide healthcare and education facilities to the Rohingyas, she mentioned, adding that the government engaged all, including the army, navy, air force, police, the administration and others for managing the refugees.

About the agreement signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar regarding the repatriation of Rohingyas, Hasina said Myanmar was not acting as per the agreement.