DHAKA, Jan 28, 2024 – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today made an urgent plea to the international community, emphasizing the severe for concerted efforts to facilitate the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar and ensure their right to a dignified existence in their native land.
Addressing the issue during a meeting with a British cross-party parliamentary delegation led by Virendra Sharma, MP, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in Bangladesh and Chair of APPG on Indo-British, Sheikh Hasina expressed the dire necessity for a global initiative to resolve the Rohingya crisis. The delegation met with the Prime Minister at her official residence, Ganabhaban, marking the first UK parliamentary visit since the recent general elections in Bangladesh on January 7.
“The world must confront the challenge of resolving the Rohingya crisis, ensuring their safe return to their homeland and the guarantee of a life of dignity,” stated the Prime Minister. PM’s Speechwriter, M Nazrul Islam, relayed the highlights of the discussion to the press following the meeting.
Sheikh Hasina recounted the humanitarian gesture of Bangladesh, which provided refuge to the Rohingyas following their mass exodus in 2017 due to severe persecution. Despite Myanmar’s commitment to repatriate its nationals, the process has seen no substantial progress over the past six years, she noted.
The Prime Minister expressed concern over the diminishing global financial support in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, emphasizing the increasing strain placed on Bangladesh, a nation grappling with its challenges. She highlighted the plight of the Rohingyas, who are now becoming a substantial burden for Bangladesh.
The five-member British parliamentary delegation, including notable figures such as Paul Scully, MP, Neil Coyle, MP, Andrew Western, MP, and Dominic Moffitt, aims to reaffirm support for Bangladesh’s commendable efforts in hosting the persecuted Rohingyas and seeks to explore avenues for resolving the protracted crisis.
Sheikh Hasina brought to light the distressing condition of the Rohingyas in Bangladesh, pointing out the absence of significant steps from Myanmar to reclaim its citizens. She underscored the deteriorating situation in the camps, marked by rising criminal activities and internal conflicts among the Rohingyas.
Despite the challenges, the Prime Minister noted the efforts of the Bangladeshi government in improving living conditions for the Rohingyas, particularly in Bhashanchar Island, where substantial resources have been allocated for their welfare. However, she also mentioned the internal divisions within the Rohingya community, which often impede relocation and rehabilitation initiatives.
The British delegation’s visit, scheduled to conclude on January 31, includes a significant stop at the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on January 30. This visit symbolizes the delegation’s solidarity with Bangladesh and its commitment to finding a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Present at the meeting were Salman Fazlur Rahman, PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser, Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin, and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Secretary M Salauddin, reflecting the high-level engagement and the gravity of the discussions held.
