Boosting ties, Rohingya repatriation top agenda

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday started a weeklong visit to two Asean countries, aiming to boost relations with the bloc and push the agenda of Rohingya repatriation.

He will be visiting Cambodia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), in the first leg of his visit, beginning today, and Indonesia, the next chair of the bloc, said foreign ministry officials.

Momen, who is being accompanied by Mashfee Binte Shams, secretary (east) at the foreign ministry, and Najmul Huda, director general at southeast asian wing of the ministry, will hold bilateral meetings with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who is also Asean's special envoy to Myanmar.

In Indonesia, he will meet the country's foreign minister Retno Marsudi.

"Cambodia is the current chair of Asean, and Indonesia will be the next chair. So, both the countries are important as far as Rohingya repatriation is concerned," said a foreign ministry official.

On the other hand, Asean has been in trouble due to Myanmar's double crisis – one being the Rohingya influx following a military crackdown, which the US determined as genocide, and the other is the military coup.

In April last year, Asean adopted a five-point consensus on Myanmar. Those include an immediate end to violence in Myanmar; dialogue among all parties concerned; the appointment of a special envoy; provision of humanitarian assistance by Asean; and a visit by the bloc's special envoy to Myanmar to meet with all parties.

Rights bodies say Myanmar has largely violated the consensus.

Foreign ministry officials said Bangladesh, which is the bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia, is eager to improve connectivity and trade with Asean.

Bangladesh has long sought to secure observer status of Asean. Also, the country is seeking to be connected to the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway.

While improving trade with Asean is imperative, it is also crucial for Bangladesh to quickly start Rohingya repatriation, the officials added.