Amid repeated efforts, Dhaka has not yet got ‘expected response’ from Myanmar about ending the ongoing Rohnigya crisis when over 1.2 million displaced Myanmar nationals have already taken shelter in the southeastern Cox’s Bazar district as refugees.
Expressing severe disappointment, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque on Sunday said, “What we expected from Myanmar; actually we did not get it all, especially about the repatriation of Rohingyas.”
Significantly, the statement of Foreign Secretary came at a time when Bangladesh has been facing tremendous problem in sheltering about 1.2 documented and undocumented [old and new] Rohingyas with its limited resources, amid nonstop influx till the date.
The Foreign Secretary was talking to the journalists after attending a programme in the city. “In fact, we’re expecting more positive response from Myanmar. We can’t say that we are satisfied.
……However, we are certain that we are on the right track.”
About proposed Joint Working Group with Myanmar, the Foreign Secretary said, “We’re working on it and there is a specific time frame [by November]….There is no shortcut way. Besides, there is no way to send back all the Rohingyas at a time. It needs time for scrutiny.”
When the Foreign Secretary was asked whether the only process is getting lengthy, he said, “We’ve started the process after one and a half months only. It’s a good sign. We’re trying to speed up the process [repatriation] involving international actors. There is no alternative except continuing dialogue with Myanmar about the Rohingya repatriation.”
In the latest effort, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzamna Khan Kamal visited Myanmar on October 23. But he also did not get any positive response from Naypyidaw.
Admitting the fact, Kamal openly said Bangladesh’s delegation failed to produce a joint statement with Myanmar during talks with Myanmar officials, after both sides disagreed on “terminology”— related to Kofi Annan commission’s recommendations.
Detailing the matter, he said: “We had both agreed at the meetings that Myanmar will implement the Kofi Annan Commission report. But we saw that Myanmar dropped the words on implementation in the joint statement without consulting us.”
“Besides, the Myanmar government did not agree to the 10-point proposals. So, we could not form a joint working group…. I also think that Myanmar would not be interested in doing anything in the absence of international pressure,” he said.
During his three-day visit, Kamal had met de-facto Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other officials, including his counterpart, Lt. Gen. Kyaw Swe, which was highlighted by the signing of an agreement allowing the Rohingyas to return to their homes in Rakhine state.
But without taking any consent from Bangladesh, the Myanmar government changed the language prompting Asaduzzaman Kamal to decline signing the joint statement, Foreign Ministry officials said.
Confirming the matter, Director General [Southeast Asia Desk] of Foreign Ministry Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury recently said, “Myanmar side changed the agreed joint statement several times without taking consent of Dhaka.”
Later, Myanmar uploaded the purported joint statement on Facebook where Myanmar described the Rohingyas as “Bengalis.” Whereas, Bengali is a derogatory term for Rohingya Muslims who are considered in Myanmar as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ma Mingqiang has said that Dhaka and Beijing would sit together and solve the Rohingya problem.
“We hope, the Rohingya issue will be settled as soon as possible peacefully. China also expressed its commitment to stand with Bangladesh…..China has been maintaining close contact with Bangladesh Foreign Minister on this matter and we hope that the situation will calm down as soon as possible,” the envoy said on Sunday.
