UN statement undesirable: FM

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday said that the UN statement on Bhasanchar relocation was undesirable, as they were already given the details of the island.

They were requested to be involved in the process but they did not respond, the minister told reporters at his office.

He said the UN's main priority should be to put pressure on Myanmar to take back the Rohingya, who fled the Rakhine state in the face of brutal torture by Myanmar security forces.

The foreign minister also said the repatriation of Rohingyas is the main priority of Bangladesh government and it will start talks with Myanmar after the installation of the new government there.

He also mentioned that the Rohingyas are being relocated to Bhasanchar on temporary basis.

"We have a plan to shift 100,000 Rohingya to Bhasanchar and we will select only those who intend to go there voluntarily."

A total of 1,642 Rohingya were sent to Bhasanchar island on Friday in a bid to decongest the Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps.

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