The decision to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between United Nations agencies and Myanmar is being seen as a first step for return of Rohingyas, says the United Nations, reports UNB.
It said it was a necessary step as the 'conditions are not yet conducive' for their home return.
United Nations agencies and Myanmar have agreed a framework which it is hoped will lead to the repatriation of Rohingya refugees, according to UN News Centre.
But only if their 'voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable' return from camps in Bangladesh can be guaranteed, it added.
Since August last year, some 700,000 mainly-Muslim Rohingyas have fled Rakhine State, in majority-Buddhist Myanmar, for Bangladesh.
Most say, according to UN News Centre, they were fleeing violence and persecution, including a military campaign by Myanmar forces, which began in response to violent attacks by Rohingya insurgents.
The agreement -- reached by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Myanmar -- will be officially signed within a week or so, the UN says.
Under the agreement, UNHCR and UNDP will be given access to Rakhine State, including to refugees' places of origin and potential new settlement areas.
So far the UN has been unable to access to those areas since the violence escalated last August.
The access, once effective, will allow UNHCR to assess local conditions and help the refugees to make informed decisions on voluntary return.
The agreement will also allow the two UN agencies to carry out needs assessments in affected communities.
It will also strengthen the capacity of local authorities to support the voluntary repatriation process.
The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State - a neutral and impartial body composed of six local experts and three international experts, chaired by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan - has proposed concrete measures for improving the welfare of all people in Rakhine State.
Its recommendations include establishing a clear and voluntary pathway to citizenship and ensuring freedom of movement for all people there, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or citizenship status.
Meanwhile, the UN migration agency, known formally as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), is helping Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. It is properly preparing for the monsoon season, which is getting underway, said the UN News Center.
The migration agency said it is distributing radios, megaphones, first aid kits, stretchers, protective clothing, warning flags and sirens among the items.
More than 500 Rohingya emergency volunteers are getting the items in the largest camp there.
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