Rohingya issue to be raised in int'l forum if talks fail

Food and Disaster Management Minister Md Abdur Razzaque yesterday said the Rohingya refugees issue will be raised in the international forum if the crisis is not resolved through bilateral negotiations with Myanmar.
Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion on 'Rohingya Crisis: Way Out for Bangladesh”, he said Bangladesh has been providing supports to both the registered and unregistered Rohingyas despite limited resources.
He criticised the so-called foreign NGOs and international community for their allegation of mistreating and persecuting the Rohingyas. “We want their support but not any move that malign our image abroad for something not actually happening here.”
Saying that Bangladesh is a victim of the crisis, the food minister asked them to be careful before making any false or fabricated reports on maltreatment of Rohingyas in the future.
The Centre for Education, Research and Advocacy (CERA), a Dhaka-based research and advocacy group, organised the discussion at the National Press Club in the city.
Since it was formed nearly one and a half years ago, the government has been trying to resolve one of the country's biggest problems bilaterally, the minister said.
“We hope a democratically elected government will assume power in Myanmar and resolve the crisis soon,” he said. “If not, we will take the issue to the international forum to find a solution.”
The international NGOs, Razzaque said, are also putting pressure to document the undocumented refugees.
“We can document them but it will encourage more influx of Rohingyas in Bangladesh,” he said, adding that the refugees, especially the undocumented ones are causing various social, environmental and law and order problems in the Cox's Bazar region.
About registered 28,000 Rohingyas are staying in the government and UNHCR-run two official camps at Teknaf and Ukhia in Cox's Bazar. They get housing, food and healthcare facilities in the camps. Over 300,000 more refugees staying outside the camps do not get the facilities. Rohingyas, who are the citizens of Myanmar, are entering Bangladesh due to persecution and repression by the country's military junta.
Chief Information Commissioner Muhammad Zamir, who attended the function as special guest, came down heavily on the UNHCR for not making enough efforts inside Myanmar to prevent Rohingyas from crossing over to Bangladesh.
“The UNHCR and IOM should take more pro-active role in resolving the issue,” said the former ambassador, adding Bangladesh is looking after thousands of refugees on humanitarian ground for years, which the European countries don't do.
He termed the crisis a regional and international and suggested for a proper border management mechanism to stop the Rohingya influx.
Dr AJM Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University said the UNHCR should work more vigorously for democratisation of Myanmar to resolve the crisis. Otherwise, he said, crises like the Rohingyas will increase in the region.Journalist Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, human right activist Abu Murshed Chowdhury, Chairman of Paribesh Bachao Andolon Abu Naser Khan, Country Director of Muslim Aid H Fadlullah Wilmot, UNHCR representative Arjun Jaino and Ruhin Hossain Prince of Communist Party of Bangladesh addressed the discussion, among others.