Myanmar Rebel Groups: Help stop their fighting from spilling over

Dhaka has requested Beijing to pursue Myanmar to make sure that the conflicts in Myanmar among rebel groups do not spill over into Bangladesh.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam conveyed this to the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen when the latter called on him at the foreign ministry yesterday.

Separately, he also called on Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.

"There were conflicts among rebel groups on the zero line and the camp there has been burnt. We are hoping that the new Chinese ambassador, as he took charge, will work to help stop such incidents," he told journalists at the ministry.

At least two Rohingyas were killed and a few others injured in clashes between the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) on the zero line in Tambru near Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban last Wednesday.

Some 5,000 Rohingya refugees took shelter there following the massive influx of Rohingya in 2017.

More than a million Rohingyas are living in Cox's Bazar camps creating huge pressure on the country, and not a single Rohingya could be repatriated yet, despite several attempts.

Shahriar Alam said the Chinese ambassador said a high-level committee of Myanmar will come to Bangladesh to visit Rohingya camps soon, but did not specify the date.

He thanked China for its active role in a trilateral initiative among Bangladesh, Myanmar and China to provide a platform for dialogue to promote the early return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.

He expected that the pilot project of Rohingya repatriation would be executed at an early date.

According to a foreign ministry statement, Shahriar Alam highlighted the importance of establishing direct air connectivity and requested China to consider Bangladesh as a suitable place for industry relocation from China.

Yao Wen showed interest to conclude an MOU on private-public partnership for the growth of bilateral trade and commerce.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen said it is high time to work together to have more projects and investments from China, overcoming the common challenges ahead.

He said China can do a lot and the two countries can work together for a better future to overcome common challenges faced by the two countries yesterday, reports UNB.

Wen said Bangladesh is now stepping into Smart Bangladesh from Digital Bangladesh and assured of his country's support to that end.

Responding to a question on Rohingya repatriation, Ambassador Wen said they have a common objective with Bangladesh regarding the repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland.

He recognised the sacrifices made by Bangladesh for sheltering the Rohingyas and assured of playing its role in their repatriation.