More global focus needs to be on Rohingya repatriation: Japanese expert
Skip to main content
E-paper বাংলা
T
TODAY’S NEWS
Festivity turns tragic as newly-weds end up in hospital following fatal crash 5 dead as segment of viaduct falls on car from crane Bangladesh flag disrespected at Pakistan-owned Habib Bank in Sylhet Dear ministers, for how long will you mock our misfortunes? Old Dhaka fire: 6 bodies recovered Retired railway employee arrested for raping 14-yr-old in Lalmonirhat Rushdie attacker’s mother says son returned to US as “religious zealot” after 2018 Lebanon visit Post-Partition period in books: Prabhas Chandra, Tajuddin, and Ahmed Kamal offer testimonies ‘Shakib, Mushfiqur might open if needed’ ‘Poran’ to release in Denmark, Sweden and Finland 1 Covid-19 death in 24 hours, current positivity rate 4.09% 7 gold bars seized from passenger at Dhaka airport Rural road project set to miss deadline PM pays homage to Bangabandhu in Tungipara Cry, O beloved country
The Daily Star
Journalism Without Fear or Favour
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
  • E-paper
  • বাংলা
TODAY’S NEWS
Festivity turns tragic as newly-weds end up in hospital following fatal crash 5 dead as segment of viaduct falls on car from crane Bangladesh flag disrespected at Pakistan-owned Habib Bank in Sylhet Dear ministers, for how long will you mock our misfortunes? Old Dhaka fire: 6 bodies recovered Retired railway employee arrested for raping 14-yr-old in Lalmonirhat Rushdie attacker’s mother says son returned to US as “religious zealot” after 2018 Lebanon visit Post-Partition period in books: Prabhas Chandra, Tajuddin, and Ahmed Kamal offer testimonies ‘Shakib, Mushfiqur might open if needed’ ‘Poran’ to release in Denmark, Sweden and Finland 1 Covid-19 death in 24 hours, current positivity rate 4.09% 7 gold bars seized from passenger at Dhaka airport Rural road project set to miss deadline PM pays homage to Bangabandhu in Tungipara Cry, O beloved country
The Daily Star
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | Journalism Without Fear or Favour
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Views
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Coronavirus
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB
বাংলা T
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Views
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Coronavirus
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
Southeast Asia

More global focus needs to be on Rohingya repatriation: Japanese expert

UNB, Tokyo, Japan
Sat Sep 7, 2019 12:48 PM Last update on: Sat Sep 7, 2019 02:44 PM
Rohingya refugees
A view of the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar. Star file photo

The international community needs to focus more on repatriation of Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine State instead of focusing only on their food, shelter and healthcare issues, says a Japanese South Asian affairs expert.

"We've to work on how to bring them (Rohingyas) back to their original country (Myanma)," Ryohei Kasai, visiting researcher at Center for South Asian Studies, Gifu Women's University, told UNB.

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

Read more: Bangladesh seeks Japan's support for Rohingya repatriation

The diplomat-turned-researcher said, any refugee crisis has many dimensions but distributing food, providing shelter and healthcare services is one of the approaches to deal with the refugee issue. "[But] that shouldn't be only approach," he said.

Kasai said they know the Japanese government has spoken to Myanmar government, including Aung San Suu Kyi and military officials, to resolve the matter.

Japanese Foreign Minister Tara Kono also spoke to his Myanmar counterpart to convince Naypyidaw so that they take back the Rohingyas, he said.

"We have been asking [Myanmar] to do that. Of course, more should be done," Kasai said, adding that the international community should help Bangladesh to ease the burden on it due to the Rohingya crisis.

Japan has already shared some "preliminary ideas" with Bangladesh that can help expedite the Rohingya repatriation process as the country, being a common friend of Bangladesh and Myanmar, does not want to see "prolongation" of the Rohingya situation.

Japanese Foreign Minister Kono floated the ideas during a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen held in Dhaka recently.

Kono clearly mentioned that they do not want prolongation of this situation but hoped that the repatriation process will be expedited. The Japanese minister, who visited Bangladesh thrice and Rohingya camps twice, also visited Myanmar to discuss the issue with its leadership.

Asked about any tripartite meeting among Bangladesh, Japan and Myanmar to find a solution, a diplomat here told UNB that there is no concrete plan and no particular date is fixed to have such a meeting.

A Japanese government source said, they are with Bangladesh to assist and realise repatriation of the forcibly displaced people as early as possible. "We will continue to support Bangladesh to realise early repatriation of Rohingyas," the source said.

Japanese expert Kasai praised Bangladesh for hosting such a big number of people from Myanmar which is a big burden for Bangladesh. "I am very concerned about the refugee issue," he said.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas. More than 730,000 of them fled to Bangladesh to escape a vicious campaign of ethnic cleansing since August 25, 2017.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed his deep respect for the government of Bangladesh for generously accepting and protecting the Rohingyas on humanitarian ground. The two countries share the importance of stability in Cox's Bazar from the perspective of enhancing connectivity and securing regional stability.

On May 29, Prime Minister Abe held a 50-minute meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Japan, and discussed ways to find a "durable and early solution" to the Rohingya crisis.

But attempts to send back the Rohingyas failed twice.

Despite all preparations, no Rohingya turned up on August 22 to accept the "voluntary" repatriation offer, prompting authorities to suspend the process for the day.

The first batch of Rohingyas was scheduled to return on November 15 last year but it was also halted amid the unwillingness of Rohingyas to go back for the lack of a congenial atmosphere in the Rakhine State.

The two countries signed a repatriation deal on November 23, 2017, but there has been little progress.

On July 29, Bangladesh handed a fresh list of 25,000 Rohingyas from around 6,000 families to Myanmar for verification before their repatriation.

With the latest list, Bangladesh has so far handed the names of around 55,000 Rohingyas to the Myanmar and around 8,000 of them have been verified. Myanmar only cleared 3,450 Rohingyas for beginning the repatriation.

On January 16 last year, Bangladesh and Myanmar inked a document on "Physical Arrangement", which was supposed to facilitate the repatriation. It stipulates that the repatriation will be completed preferably within two years from the start.

Related topic
Myanmar Rohingya Crisis in Bangladesh
Apple Google
Click to comment

Comments

Comments Policy

Related News

Southeast Asia

Rohingyas held with 9,000 yaba tablets at Dhaka airport

Rohingya camp
Southeast Asia

11 hurt, 273 shelters damaged in rain at Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camp

Country

2 Rohingyas held with Bangladeshi passport

Southeast Asia

War crimes, not genocide: Myanmar foreign ministry

Rohingya refugees play football at Kutupalong refugee camp
Southeast Asia

Myanmar needs to take action for Rohingya repatriation: Miller

The Daily Star  | বাংলা
৬ মিনিট আগে|অপরাধ ও বিচার

সংসদ এলাকায় স্পিকার-ডেপুটি স্পিকারের বাসভবন বৈধ: আপিল বিভাগ

সংসদ ভবন এলাকায় স্পিকার ও ডেপুটি স্পিকারের বাসভবন নির্মাণের সিদ্ধান্ত বৈধ বলে রায় দিয়েছেন সুপ্রিম কোর্টের আপিল বিভাগ।

১ ঘণ্টা আগে|বাংলাদেশ

লঞ্চ ভাড়া ৩০ শতাংশ বাড়ল

The Daily Star
Follow Us
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
© 2022 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI LAB
Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.