Security experts have laid emphasis on the official involvement of international organizations, like United Nations or International Organization for Migration, in the biometric registration activities of the Rohingya people apparently to increase credibility of the programme.
At present, the Department of Immigration and Passport [DIP] has been conducting the biometric registration of Rohingyas with the help of Bangladesh Army and Border Guard Bangladesh.
But local sources said the progress is very slow and it will take huge time to bring about 600,000 new Rohingyas under the registration programme.
Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Minister for Disaster Management and Relief, on Thursday said biometric registration of about 61,000 Rohingyas has been completed since August 25 to October 4.
The Minister, however, did not say how much time would take to complete the overall registration programme.
In this backdrop, the experts opined that Myanmar could play trick by not accepting the reregistered Rohingyas as its nationals, if international organizations are not involved in the registration process.
Director General of DIP Major General Md Masud Rezwan on Wednesday said several international human rights and voluntary organizations, including UNHCR and IOM, were involved with the biometric registration of the Rohingyas. But the reality is quite different.
Local sources from Cox’s Bazar told The New Nation that UNHCR and IOM are helping the DIP with logistic support and engaging some volunteers. These international organizations have no ‘official involvement’ with the registration process.
There is widespread apprehension that a critical situation may arise in future as Myanmar’s State Counsellor Office in a statement on Tuesday said it will take back Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh after verification in accordance with the 1992 Joint Statement.
The joint statement, which was signed between Dhaka and Naypyidaw on April 28, 1992, only the registered Rohingya refugees willing to return home can be repatriated if they possessed valid identity documents. According to the statement, some 236,495 Rohingya people were repatriated in line with the agreement.
Whereas just one day ago on Monday, Myanmar State Counsellor’s Office Minister Kyaw Tint Swe met Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali in Dhaka to discuss repatriation issue of the Rohingyas and assured repatriation of Rohingyas.
A senior official of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry requesting anonymity said on Thursday the matter would be informed to the high-level of the government. “Later, we’ll take initiatives to involve international organizations, such as UN or IOM, officially in the biometric registration programme,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Defence and Security Adviser Major General [Retd] Tarique Ahmed Siddiqui and Chief of Army Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq visited Balukhali in Ukhia yesterday to see the health camp and relief distribution among Rohingyas.
Senior army officials, including General Officer Commanding of 10 Infantry Division Major General Maksudur Rahman, were also present there.
