Foreign minister's NY visit: Dhaka to press for early repatriation of Rohingyas

Dhaka Tribune
UNB
June 13th, 2021

File photo: Ships of Bangladesh Navy carry Rohingya people to Bhashan Char in Noakhali on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

No Rohingya has been repatriated over the last four years amid the 'absence of conducive environment' in Rakhine State

Bangladesh will reiterate its position seeking quick and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas as Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen leaves Dhaka for New York early Sunday to attend two important events at the UNGA.

One of the events will be on Myanmar's current situation where Bangladesh will reiterate its call to the international community for quick and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas, said Momen.

"Our priority is repatriation. They [Rohingyas] must be repatriated. We want to make Rohingya repatriation a condition," he said, mentioning that much has been talked about democracy and the overall situation in Myanmar.

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhashan Char in Noakhali.

No Rohingya was repatriated over the last four years amid the "absence of conducive environment" in Rakhine State and lack of confidence among the Rohingyas, officials said.

Also Read - UNGA President Bozkir: We haven’t forgotten the Rohingya people

Momen said President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Volkan Bozkir invited him during his recent visit to Bangladesh.

"There'll be very good discussion. Many will join it," said the foreign minister.

UNGA President Bozkir, during his recent visit to Bangladesh, said the General Assembly has not forgotten about the Rohingya people.

"To the people I met, I'll uphold my promise to share your stories back in New York," he tweeted after visiting Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar.

The UNGA president said basic rights, including citizenship, and the creation of conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of all Rohingyas must be respected.

"The safety and security of the Rohingya and other minorities must be secured," he said while delivering his keynote speech at the Sixth Lecture of the Bangabandhu Lecture Series at Foreign Service Academy.

Momen will attend another event ahead of the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) where Bangladesh will highlight its issues related to its graduation to the developing nation.

The foreign minister is scheduled to leave for the United States at 4:25am on Sunday by Qatar Airways flight, a senior official told UNB.

He will return home on June 22.

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