Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh government has not taken any visible effective role to bring back the Bangladeshi people, who are now trapped in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
However, Indonesia, Malaysia and Turkey have come forward to rescue the floating people in the Andaman Sea, and already rescued some Rohingyas and Bangladeshis.
Many expressed annoyance over the ‘silent role of the government’ and said that the government can’t avert its responsibility terming the people stranded in the sea as illegal. The government has to take initiative to rescue the Bangladeshi victims of human trafficking, they said.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday said that Home Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Overseas Employment Ministry would take measures to bring the victims back home soon.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Md. Shahidul Haque could not be reached over the telephone despite repeated attempts. It was learnt that Shahriar Alam left Dhaka for New Delhi Thursday night on a three-day tour to join a function there. Claiming that most of the people stranded on boats in the sea are Rohingyas, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said. “The victims are mostly ethnic Rohingyas from Myanmar who are living in Bangladesh illegally. There might be a small number of Bangladeshi victims of human trafficking on the boats and they will be brought back home in coordination with Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries concerned.” Citing the photographs of migrants published in different international media, he said that from their attires and accessories it seems that they are Rohingyas. “Officially there are 30,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh. It is assumed the figure would be 3 lakh and I think the actual number is around 5 lakh. These people try to go to Malaysia through sea routes illegally in search of jobs and fall prey to human traffickers,” he added. The state minister warned that stern actions would be taken against any person involved in trafficking. The government has taken various measures to prevent human trafficking. Already 200 cases have been filed in this connection, while government will distribute ID cards to the boatmen, and bring the boats under registration to prevent human trafficking, he added.
The Malaysian foreign minister, Anifah Aman, on Sunday sat in a meeting with the Bangladeshi foreign minister, AH Mahmood Al to settle the migrant issue.
Foreign Secretary, Shahidul Haque has said Bangladesh was struggling to contain surging migration through the Bay of Bengal. He, however, blamed the high numbers of Rohingya fleeing abroad and called for international pressure on Burma. “The Rohingya crisis has been created by [Burma], which will have to find a solution,” Haque said.
Meanwhile, Gono Sanghati Andolan will hold a sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club in the city tomorrow (Saturday) protesting the “silent role of the government” on the issue. Its chief coordinator Zunayed Saki said that it was unfortunate that the government has not taken any initiative as yet when thousands of Bangladeshis are floating in the sea.
Criticising the government, he said it has to take initiative without any delay to rescue the people. The government should not blame other about the helpless people. Rescue should be the first priority, he said.
