Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday emphasised the need for a robust role of the international community to ensure a swift and sustainable political solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Addressing a roundtable discussion as the chief guest, Salahuddin urged the United Nations and the international community to ensure that Rohingya issue remains active on the global radar and does not get overshadowed by other geopolitical conflicts or crises.
He stressed that collective global efforts and effective diplomacy are vital to ensure the swift and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland, Myanmar.
The roundtable, titled “The Rohingya Crisis: Emerging Challenges & Reframing Response Strategies,” was organised by the Institute for Global Cooperation Foundation (IGCF) at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) auditorium in Dhaka this morning.
Md Ismail Zabihullah, adviser to the prime minister on the Ministry of Public Administration, attended the event and highlighted the significance of administrative coordination in addressing the Rohingya issue.
Speaking at the event, Salahuddin said a permanent and sustainable solution to this crisis is achievable through the direct support of leading global powers and the United Nations. He urged international human rights organisations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and all other stakeholders to play a more proactive and effective role in resolving the crisis.
“Our primary goal is singular – to repatriate nearly 1.5 million (1.2 million according to UNHCR estimates) forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMNs) with full dignity and security to their home country,” Salahuddin said, adding that continuous international support and the political commitment of leading nations are extremely urgent for this.
Elaborating on the long-term impact of the crisis, the home minister pointed out that Bangladesh has been providing shelter, food, land, medical care, and basic life-support security to over 1.5 million displaced Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds for nearly nine years.
However, he cautioned that security challenges within the camps have intensified over time, citing an increase in criminal activities, arms and drug smuggling, human trafficking, gender-based violence, and the activities of armed groups, which pose a severe threat to Bangladesh’s internal security.
The livelihoods and environment of the local host communities near the camps have been severely affected. To curb crime and ensure the safety of both the Rohingya population and residents, Salahuddin deemed the installation of border fences around the camps and highly regulated movement controls as essential security measures.
Recalling Bangladesh’s historical precedents, he mentioned that the country had successfully completed Rohingya repatriations in 1978 under the successful leadership of former president Ziaur Rahman, and again in 1992 through the visionary diplomatic initiatives of the then prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Salahuddin announced that a “National Strategy Formulation Committee on Rohingya Affairs” has already been established under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Concurrently, another high-level national committee, headed by Salahuddin, is actively working on maintaining law and order, border management, and overall coordination.
The government is executing a comprehensive “whole-of-government’ approach, coordinating civil administration, security, and defence agencies.
Salahuddin warned that providing humanitarian aid indefinitely without a concrete and credible repatriation plan could diminish the urgency for a long-term political resolution.
He advocated for a swift transition from emergency relief to a “transitional strategy” aimed at creating a safe and hospitable environment in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
Salahuddin expressed optimism that Bangladesh would soon achieve a dignified and permanent repatriation of the Rohingyas through sustained international involvement, national unity, and a robust security framework.
The event commenced with a welcome address by Chowdhury Adnan Rahman, chief executive officer (CEO) of IGCF, and was moderated by Bulbul Siddiqi, professor of the Department of Political Science and Sociology at North South University.
Other speakers at the roundtable included Ivo Freijsen, UNHCR representative in Bangladesh; Maj Gen ASM Ridwanur Rahman, director general of BIISS; Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, refugee relief and repatriation commissioner (RRRC); Mohammad Nazmul Abedin, joint secretary and head of the Refugee Cell under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; Professor Sazzad Siddiqi, chairman of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Dhaka; Niloy Ranjan Biswas, professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka; Professor Kazi Mahmudur Rahman of the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB); Professor Nurul Huda Sakib of Jahangirnagar University; Abantee Harun, assistant professor at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB); Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh; and Rahid Ejaz, special representative of daily Prothom Alo.
