Bangladesh is continuing diplomatic efforts to build pressure through international and regional forums to ensure the safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam has said.
He said Bangladesh was working diplomatically to keep the Rohingya crisis on the international agenda and secure effective action to resolve it despite wars, conflicts and humanitarian crises in different parts of the world.
The foreign secretary made the remarks as the chief guest at a roundtable titled ‘Rohingya Crisis: Challenges and the Future of this Protracted Crisis’ at the conference room of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s (RRRC) office in Cox’s Bazar on Monday.
The RRRC and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) jointly organised the discussion.
“The Rohingya issue is a problem for Bangladesh. We are trying in various ways, on behalf of the government and the country, to highlight the plight of the Rohingyas internationally,” Asad Alam said.
“There are various disasters, wars and conflicts around the world. Even amid these crises, one of our key objectives is to bring the Rohingya issue to the attention of the international community and keep it alive on international forums,” he said.
The foreign secretary said Bangladesh was repeatedly raising the Rohingya crisis at various regional and international forums and trying to build diplomatic pressure through these platforms to create conditions for safe, sustainable and dignified repatriation.
RRRC Commissioner Mizanur Rahman chaired the roundtable, which was attended by representatives of international and local NGOs, senior government officials, journalists, and young Rohingya leaders.
Participants discussed the current state of the protracted Rohingya crisis, challenges faced by refugees living in the camps and possible solutions for the future. Presentations highlighted various challenges related to the Rohingyas’ daily lives, education, healthcare, security, livelihoods and humanitarian assistance.
Participants stressed the need for a more effective and coordinated role by the international community in finding a sustainable solution to the crisis. Young Rohingya leaders also shared their views on creating the conditions necessary for safe and dignified repatriation.
The RRRC office also hosted a photo exhibition showcasing the Rohingya crisis and the lives of refugees, along with displaying handicrafts made by Rohingyas.
The organisers said that dialogue and exchange among relevant stakeholders needed to be strengthened to raise international awareness of the Rohingya crisis and explore pathways towards a sustainable solution.
August 25 is observed as Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day. It will mark nine years since hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas were forcibly displaced from Myanmar’s Rakhine State and sought refuge in Bangladesh.
Despite nine years having passed, no visible or effective conditions have been created for their safe and sustainable return to Myanmar, making the protracted crisis increasingly acute.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdur Rashid Manik
