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BD wants China, Russia, India, Japan to help resolve Rohingya crisis: PM

May 01, 2018 00:00:00


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina listening to a member of a 15-member UN Security Council delegation during a meeting at Gonobhaban in the capital on Monday — BSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Monday Bangladesh expects China, Russia, India and Japan to play a major role in resolving the Rohingya crisis, reports UNB.

"We expect China, Russia, India and Japan to play a major role in resolving the crisis," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while the visiting UNSC delegation, led by its President Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, met her at her official residence Ganobhaban.

Sheikh Hasina urged the international community to continue mounting strong pressure on the Myanmar government to take back their over one million Rohingya nationals from Bangladesh.

"Myanmar should act in accordance with the agreement they have signed with Bangladesh (regarding the repatriation of the Rohingyas)," she said.

PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said Sheikh Hasina appreciated the international community as they extended help and support to Bangladesh in this crisis.

She also put emphasis on implementation of the Kofi Annan Commission recommendations on the Rohingya issue.

"The international community should keep up pressure on the Myanmar government in this regard," she said.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh does not want any conflict and it is trying to have a peaceful resolution to the problem.

Meanwhile, she mentioned, the Bangladesh foreign minister and home minister visited Myanmar while Myanmar Social Welfare Minister visited Bangladesh.

"We've signed an agreement, they (Myanmar) don't deny that they've signed the agreement," she said.

Hasina said Bangladesh has already discussed the matter with China, India, Thailand and Laos.

The Prime Minister also said the repatriation process of the Rohingyas has to be done under the supervision of the United Nations.

"We'll do the best from our side," she added.

Hasina said Bangladesh has already carried out the biometric registration of the Rohingyas who entered Bangladesh amid atrocities by Myanmar law-enforcement agencies.

"Due to the influx of the Rohingyas, the local Bangladeshis are enduring serious sufferings in the area," she added.

Hasina said the environment as well as forests of the area are seriously getting affected due to this huge influx.

About the upcoming monsoon, the prime minister said the sufferings of the Rohingyas will intensify further.

That is why Bangladesh has prepared Bhashan Char island to relocate 100,000 Rohingyas, she said.

The delegation members briefed Sheikh Hasina about their visit to Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar.

During the meeting, US Representative Kelly Currie highly appreciated the Prime Minister's role saying that she has raised a level for all creating a new international standard by working from a humanitarian point of view.

Chinese representative Wu Haitao said Beijing will continue playing a constructive role on the Rohingya issue, while Russian representative Dmitry Polyanskiy assured of extending Moscow's support to Bangladesh for a sustainable solution to the crisis.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmod Ali, Prime Minister's Adviser to International Affairs Dr Gowher Rizvi, State Minister Shahriar Alam were, among others, present.

The representatives of five permanent members of the Security Council -- the USA, Russia, France, the UK and China-- were present.

The other members include permanent representatives from Bolivia, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru and Sweden and deputy permanent representative from Ivory Coast.


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