Staff Reporter :
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Monday said, Bangladesh wants a peaceful solution over Rohingya crisis instead of involving any conflict with Myanmar.
“We want a peaceful solution through diplomatic efforts. I don’t know why we will involve in war with Myanmar. Why should we destroy our development? We cannot take such ‘suicidal’ decision because war brings destruction for all,” Mahmood Ali said.
The foreign minister said this while addressing at a press conference after a briefing the foreign diplomats over Rohingya crisis in the capital on Monday evening.
“We have discussed everything to the Myanmar. They will take decision now how they will resolve the crisis. Now we are waiting for the Myanmar’s response,” he said.
Mahmood Ali said Myanmar Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe during his visit has expressed his government’s willingness to take back the “displaced residents” of Myanmar and proposed to follow the principles and criteria agreed upon in the 1992 joint statement”.
Bangladesh has welcomed the visit of Union Minister and his willingness to work together for return of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals.
Mahmood Ali said a team led by the home minister will go to Myanmar between October 20 and 30 to visit the disastrous places. After that the foreign ministry’s delegation will go there.” “We also want a strong role from UN to resolve the crisis,” he said. The minister also criticized those people and quarters who called the government to involve in war with Myanmar instead of giving proper recommendation to resolve the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
“Please don’t misinterpret the people about the strategy of the government. You may come to the open give your opinions. I also invite them t take part in a discussion to be held on Tuesday at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies,” the minister said.
Mahmood Ali said that the international community highly praised the Bangladesh and its people for their patients and generosity which they already showed to the Rohingya people.
“The international community assured us that they are with Bangladesh until the issue ends. The whole international community also co-operated Bangladesh in the UN General Assembly that was good for us,” he said.
About the foreign ministry’s role he said, “We are in a right track. We are taking steps very consciously. Hopefully we will get a good result.
Earlier in the afternoon, the foreign minister briefed the diplomats over the Rohingya crisis.
Diplomats from diplomatic Missions of Australia, China, Egypt, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, Sweden, United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, India, The Netherlands, Vatican, Denmark, Spain, EU, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Switzerland and Norway attended the diplomatic briefing. The Foreign Minister briefed the diplomats about the current Rohingya situation and mentioned that the atrocities in the Rakhine State have not been stopped and Rohingyas are continuing to cross the border. According to UN bodies, as of today 5,20,000 Rohingyas crossed the border since 25 August; nearly 40,000 of them arrived in last 10 days.
However, the foreign minister highlighted that the situation of 1992 and current one are totally different as half of the Muslim villages in the northern Rakhine State of Myanmar have been burned down and the burning is still going on.
The Foreign Minister thanked the international community for their support and urged them to continue their engagement till a peaceful means is found to resolve this humanitarian crisis.
