Non-cooperation of Myanmar delays Rohingya return

Bangladesh claims that the Rohingya repatriation process is delayed due to the non-cooperation of the Myanmar government. Due to the country's non-cooperation, lack of goodwill and lack of effective action, the Rohingya repatriation process cannot be started even after multiple attempts.

Although Myanmar government spokesman Jay Hate claimed on Friday that the Rohingya repatriation program was failing due to lack of cooperation from Dhaka. Earlier, the country's state adviser Aung San Suu Kyi blamed Bangladesh for the return process. However, Bangladesh has strongly protested such comments of Myanmar.

More than seven million Rohingya fled to Bangladesh when the Myanmar army launched a massacre on minority Rohingya in August 2017. As a result, Bangladesh has to face problems to cope with this crisis. As the UN pressed on Myanmar with the issue at various stages, the Myanmar government was forced to sign an agreement with Bangladesh to take back the Rohingya. The Bangladesh-Myanmar repatriation agreement was signed in January 2018.

A joint agreement was also reached between Myanmar and the United Nations on the Rohingya retreat in Naypyidaw in June of the same year. The Myanmar government has not yet returned a Rohingya to its home country under the agreement.

The Rohingya also want to return to their country with citizenship. However, Myanmar does not accept its logical claim. The international community also says Myanmar is not ready for a safe return. Nevertheless, Naypyidaw has repeatedly demanded that due to Bangladesh, repatriation is not possible.

Minister of State for External Affairs Shahriar Alam attended a discussion on the Rohingya return issue, held at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Monday. On the Rohingya situation there, he said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given shelter to the Rohingya because she has shown humanity. But the Rohingya must be repatriated.

During the meeting, the Foreign Minister also said that after the International Criminal Court (ICC) case, many countries besides Myanmar will be pressured to solve the Rohingya crisis. The biggest thing is that the Indian Prime Minister and Japanese Prime Minister have told Aung San Suu Kyi that the region will be destabilized if the Rohingya are not deported.

During the meeting, the senior secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md. Shah Kamal said, our population in Ukhia and Teknaf is only 4 lakhs while there are more than 11 lakhs Rohingya are living in this place, which impact on the lives of the locals.

It is reported that the Rohingya settlements destroyed 6 lakhs and 163 acres of forest worth Tk 1 thousand and 865 crores in Ukhia and Teknaf in Cox's Bazar. Apart from this, the habitat and walking area of ​​Asian elephants has been affected by the settlement. Experts fear that the forests of Ukhia and Teknaf will be completely destroyed if it continues for such a long period.

Earlier, Myanmar also lied about the statement in the context of the Rohingya crisis given by Bangladesh's Foreign Minister AK Abdul Monem’s address at the Cabinet meeting of the 18th NAM Conference held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on October 23