Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman on Saturday expressed confidence that the Rohingya crisis could be resolved, saying previous BNP governments had successfully repatriated Rohingya refugees to Myanmar on two occasions.
“I believe we will find a solution to this problem in the coming days. You will remember that the BNP government solved the Rohingya crisis twice before. Everyone knows this, and everyone knows that we will solve it,” he told reporters at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question.
Briefing journalists on the prime minister’s recent visits to Malaysia and China, the foreign minister said China had assured Bangladesh of its continued support in helping Bangladesh and Myanmar resolve the crisis as quickly as possible.
He said the Rohingya issue involved three principal parties—Myanmar, Bangladesh and the Arakan Army, which currently controls much of Rakhine State—while the Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh were also key stakeholders.
“When the prime minister appointed me as foreign minister, both Myanmar’s foreign minister and the chief of the Arakan Army sent me congratulatory messages. I cannot say much in detail, but we have contact with them,” he said.
Dr Khalilur said Bangladesh appreciated China’s constructive role in promoting a solution to the crisis involving the forcibly displaced people from Myanmar’s Rakhine State who have taken shelter in Bangladesh.
He said China had commended Bangladesh for providing humanitarian assistance to the displaced Rohingyas and supported efforts by Bangladesh and Myanmar to reach a mutually acceptable solution through friendly consultations. China also reiterated its commitment to continue facilitating the process to the best of its ability.
Bangladesh has consistently called for the early repatriation of the Rohingyas, maintaining that the crisis originated in Myanmar and that its lasting solution must also come from there.
The foreign minister noted that hosting more than 1.3 million Rohingya refugees for nearly a decade had imposed significant social, economic, environmental and security pressures on Bangladesh.
He reiterated Bangladesh’s call on the international community and regional partners to intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure the early, safe, voluntary and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, Additional Foreign Secretary (Public Diplomacy and Other Priority Matters) AKM Shahidul Karim and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the briefing.
