Rohingya crisis regional threat: Hasina

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (BSS): With a pleading that Myanmar must manifest a clear political will for sustainable return and reintegration of Rohingyas to their homeland, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has placed a four-point proposal before the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
"The Rohingya crisis is now becoming a regional threat", said Sheikh Hasina, seeking expeditious interventions from the international community for a permanent solution to the crisis.
"Myanmar must manifest clear political will supported by concrete actions for sustainable return and reintegration of Rohingyas to Myanmar," she said in her first proposal while delivering the country statement in the General Debate of the 74th UNGA Session.
Sheikh Hasina delivered the statement in Bangla like every year in the past at the General Assembly Hall in the UN Headquarters here on Friday afternoon local time.
This year's theme of the general debate is "Galvanising multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion".
Tijjani Muhammad-Bande of Nigeria was elected the President of the 74th UNGA Session.
In her second proposal, the premier said that Myanmar must build trust among the Rohingyas by discarding discriminatory laws and practices and allowing "go and see" visit to the Northern Rakhine by the Rohingya representatives.
"Myanmar must guarantee security and safety of the Rohingyas by deploying civilian monitors from international community in the Rakhine State," she said in her third proposal.
The premier in her last proposal said the international community must ensure that the root causes of Rohingya problem area addressed and the violation of human rights and other atrocity crimes committed against the Rohingyas are accounted for.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that in the past, she had offered a five-point proposal to the United Nations during the 72nd UN General Assembly to put an end to the Rohingya crisis.
Requesting the international community to understand the un-tenability of the situation, the premier said the crisis is now going beyond the camps. "Despite our all efforts to contain it, the crisis is now becoming a regional threat. Moreover, increasing congestion and environmental degradation is challenging health and security in the area," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the crisis is now lingering into the third year; yet not a single Rohingya could return to Myanmar due to absence of safety and security, freedom of movement and overall conducive environment in Rakhine State of Myanmar.
Terming the Rohingya issue as a matter of Myanmar and its own people, the prime minister said, "We are bearing the burden of a crisis which is Myanmar's own making … it's an issue solely between Myanmar and its own people, the Rohingyas. They themselves have to resolve it," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the voluntary return of the Rohingyas to their homes in the Rakhine state in safety, security and dignity is the only solution to the crisis.
Apart from the Rohingya crisis, Sheikh Hasina, in her speech, also highlighted her government's position on different global issues such as safe immigration, refugee crisis, climate change, SDGs and socioeconomic development.
Extending her heartfelt thanks to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his dynamic leadership, Sheikh Hasina said that the value of the UN's role in maintaining international peace and security is enormous.
"We continue to promote the idea of 'Culture of Peace', which has now transcended time and become a dominant theme at the UN-Our stern actions against extremism, terrorism, drug trafficking and corruption have restored peace in the society and among people. We shall continue our actions," she said.
The premier vowed to continue Bangladesh's support to the United Nations as a strong multilateral body, which would be fully equipped to deal with the tasks and responsibilities assigned to it under the Charter.
Mentioning Bangladesh's contribution to UN peace keeping missions, the premier said as the second largest troops and police contributing country Bangladesh continues to respond to the appeal for participation of troops for peacekeeping operations under the UN.
On the climate change issue, the premier said "The global disposition for climate action generated by the just concluded Climate Action Summit would translate into real impetus for implementation of the Paris Agreement in the broader context of 2030 Agenda."
Regarding migration, the premier said "Bangladesh promotes safe, orderly and regular migration - Irregular migration and human trafficking are global menaces rooted in complex nets of syndicates and criminal networks. To prevent and suppress human trafficking nationally and also to foster international cooperation in tackling human trafficking, we have recently acceded to the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons."
The premier in her speech highlighted the success of her government for the massive overall socioeconomic growth in the last 10 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that included achieving the highest GDP growth among 26 countries, poverty reduction, education, health, power generation and information communication technology as well.
Pointing out Bangladesh's socio-economic development under the stewardship of her government in the last 10 years, the prime minister said, "Bangladesh has often been cited as a 'development miracle'. Despite turbulence in the rule-based international order, and apprehensions of gradual economic slowdown, Bangladesh continued to prosper over last 10 years. "
Referring to the Spectator Index 2019, she said that Bangladesh recorded the highest economic growth among a list of 26 countries in the last 10 years, with 188 per cent expansion of gross domestic product (GDP) at the current prices. Our GDP has grown from $102 billion in 2009 to $302 billion this year.
Terming poverty and inequality are two major obstacles for development, Sheikh Hasina said "Bangladesh has achieved one of the fastest poverty reduction rates in the world with poverty rate dropping from 41.5 per cent in 2006 to 21.4 per cent in 2018 and extreme poverty from 24 per cent to 11.3 per cent."
Regarding education, she said "Having achieved the milestones of gender parity and hundred per cent enrollment, we are now focusing on enhancing the quality of education with emphasis on e-learning, and qualified teachers."
On ensuring equal access to technology, she said "We are investing in human capital to create an inclusive society through equal access to technology. Country-wide 5800 digital centres are taking 600 e-public services to people's doorsteps. Number of internet users has crossed 90 million, tele-density has crossed 93 per cent".
Describing the 'Blue Economy' as a new frontier of opportunities, the premier said, "We have developed a policy and a Plan of Action to tap our marine resources in the Bay of Bengal. We are contributing to UN's norm-setting exercises on protecting marine biological diversity in the areas within and beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ)."