Myanmar team to arrive on July 25

A high power Myanmar delegation will arrive in Dhaka on July 25 to interact with the Rohingya refugees in a bid to convince them to go back to Rakhine, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Bangladesh said on Tuesday.
The visit will take place in line with the Bangladesh's proposal placed during the fourth meeting of the joint working group (JWG) which was held in Naypyidaw -- the capital of Mayanmar -- in May this year, MoFA officials said.
In that meeting the Bangladesh delegates proposed Myanmar to send a team to interact with the Rohingyas and persuade them to return to their homes after creating a favourable situation for safe, dignified, and sustainable repatriation.
The team members will explain to the representatives of the Rohingya refugees in camps in Cox's Bazar the steps taken by Myanmar authorities for their safe return.
The first batch of 2,000 refugees were scheduled to be repatriated in November last year but none of them showed willingness to go back fearing fresh persecution.
'We are always open to such visits as we are transparent," Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr AK Abdul Momen told the FE recently.
The Myanmar team will meet mainly with the Rohingya refugees the identity of whom have already been verified by Myanmar authorities.
During the last JWG meeting, Bangladesh stressed the need for deeper engagement between Myanmar authorities and prospective returnees with a view to convincing and motivating the latter.
The diplomatic circle believes that the process of repatriation of the Rohingyas may accelerate at the end of the year (2019) as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have agreed to mediate to resolve the crisis.
Commenting on the repatriation, the Foreign Minister Mr Momen told the FE it is Bangladesh's top priority to send back the Rohingya to their homeland through discussion with Myanmar as soon as possible.
"We are hopeful that a concrete plan will emerge soon," the minister added.

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