Bangladesh seeks stronger support from int’l community for Rohingya repatriation

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh has sought stronger support from the international community for speedy, safe and dignified repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingya people to Myanmar.

The international community was asked to enhance their support on the Rohingya issue at a high-level meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office here in the city on Sunday.

PM’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah chaired the meeting, while a number of foreign envoys and representatives of international agencies, stationed in Dhaka, joined the meeting.

In the meeting, Bangladesh put emphasis on increasing international support for quick, safe, dignified and permanent repatriation of Rohingya to their home country, said a press release.

“The only solution to this crisis lies in the dignified and permanent repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland, Myanmar,” said the Principal Secretary.

Read: Bangladesh must suspend pilot project to return Rohingyas to Myanmar: UN expert

Raising the government’s stance on the issue, he said there is no scope for integration of Rohingya with locals.

Tofazzel Hossain sought cooperation from the participants to create temporary shelters for the displaced people.

The UN resident coordinator in Dhaka highlighted the reduction in the allocations of the World Food Programme and other donor agencies for humanitarian and food assistance to Rohingya amid the global economic crisis.

In the meeting, the envoys of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestine, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait and China raised the stance of their respective countries and reiterated their commitments to extend support and assistance standing with any initiative of Bangladesh over the Rohingya crisis.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Public Security Division Secretary Mustafizur Rahman, PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Kamrul Hasan were present.

Saudi Ambassador Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan, Chinese ambassador Yao Wen, UAE ambassador Abdulla Ali Abdulla Khaseif AlHmoudi, Qatar ambassador Seraya Ali Al-Qahtani, Turkiye ambassador Ramis Sen, Kuwait ambassador Ali Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Dhufairi, Oman ambassador Abdul Ghaffar Albulushi, Palestine ambassador Yousef S.Y. Ramadan, Iran ambassador Mansour Chavoshi, Chargé d’Affaires of Iraq Embassy Mohanad A.R Khalaf Al-Darraji, UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis, UNHCR’s Representative in Bangladesh Johannes Van Der Klaauw and WFP country director in Bangladesh Dom Scalpelli, among others, took part in the meeting. (UNB)