Voluntary return of Rohingyas is only solution: PM

FT ONLINE

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said that voluntary return displaced Rohingyas to their homes in the Rakhine State through ensuring safety, security and dignity is the only solution to the crisis.

Sheikh Hasina also called upon the international community to help in resolving the Rohingya crisis as it not only threatens Bangladesh but also beyond the country.

“Voluntary return of the Rohingyas to their homes in the Rakhine state in safety, security and dignity is the only solution to the crisis,” she said.

The Prime Minister came up with the statement while addressing a general discussion on “Upholding “The Badung Principles” to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of the contemporary world at Baku Congress Centre in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, this afternoon.

Noting that despite the socio-economic successes, Bangladesh is currently dealing with two challenges—the impact of climate change and the Rohingya crisis— the premier added: “The Rohingya crisis is a political one deeply rooted in Myanmar. Thus, its solution has to be found inside Myanmar.”

The premier reminded the international community that the Rohingya crisis could destabilize Bangladesh and beyond it and said, “We are currently hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas. It has the potential to destabilize our country and beyond. We are constrained to seek the support of the international community in resolving the crisis.”

In this context, the prime minister recalled that India gave shelter to over 10 million Bangladeshi nationals during the Liberation War in 1971.

She also said that she herself and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana had to spend six years in exile as they were not allowed to enter Bangladesh after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members on August 15 in 1975.

On the adverse impact of climate change, the prime minister said, “Although Bangladesh has little responsibility for global warming, it is suffering heavily from its devastating impacts.”

She went on saying, “The international response to climate change, particularly that of developed countries, must, therefore, fully respect the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.”