Staff Reporter :
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday called upon the international community to come forward with sincerity instead of giving only lip service and instructions for the early repatriation of Rohingyas.
“I’ve an appeal. It demands leadership of the world. We must do something. We must provide them a future,” he said noting that the majority of 1.1 million Rohingyas living in Bangladesh is female or little girls.
The Foreign Minister made the appeal while addressing a discussion held at the Foreign Service Academy in the city, reports UNB.
Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) arranged the discussion titled “Women in Diplomacy: How Are We Doing?” marking the International Women’s Day supported by Bangabandhu Research Centre for Foreign Policy and Diplomacy.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen spoke at the event as special guest while DCAB member Israt Zahan Urmi presented the keynote paper.
Secretary (East) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mashfee Binte Shams, UN Resident Coordinator Mia Seppo, Rector of the Foreign Service Academy, Syed Masud Mahmood Khundoker, Switzerland Ambassador to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh Alexandra Berg von Linde, High Commissioner of Maldives to Bangladesh Shiruzimath Sameer, Director General of Public Diplomacy wing at MoFA Samia Halim, DCAB President Pantho Rahman and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin spoke.
The Foreign Minister said this is not a time to do business as usual but the international community must come forward and send the Rohingyas back to Myanmar and reintegrate them in their society in Myanmar.
“I get very upset when I see these people who have no future. They are becoming hopeless and frustrated. They want to go back to Myanmar for a decent living,” he said.
Dr Momen said it is also time for that country – Myanmar – to get Rohingyas back as the Myanmar government agreed to take them back to give them a decent living and decent future.
