banglanews24.com :
The number of Rohingya refugees, who have fled into Bangladesh since violence broke out in Myanmar’s Rakhine state on August 25 last year, has exceeded 11 lakh and still counting, said Foreign Secretary Shahidul Huque.
The secretary made the remark while addressing as chief guest at an international conference titled ‘Rohingya Refugee Crisis: Towards Sustainable Solutions’ in Nawab Ali Chowdhury senate building of Dhaka University on Sunday morning (April 2). Shahidul Huque said a minister from Mynamar is expected to arrive in Dhaka to visit the condition of Rohingya refugees first hand. Recently a joint committee, formed by representatives of both countries, has visited the zero line. We are trying to come up with a mechanism so that these Rohingyas can go back to their country safely.
The foreign secretary also said the government has many options to solve the crisis; Bhashan Char is one of them. We will take the international community to Bhashan Char Island for inspection once it will be ready for Rohingya accommodation. Expressing satisfaction over the neighboring India’s stance on this issue, the secretary said India’s new Foreign Secretary is coming to Dhaka this month and there will be detailed discussions in this context then.
UNDP country director Sudipta Mukherjee was present as special guest at the function while DU International Relations Dept. professor Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed presented the keynote paper. Robert Keith Rae, Special Envoy of Canada for Myanmar, Executive Director of BRAC University Center for Peace and Justice, Manzoor Hasan and Action Aid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir also spoke at the conference.
