Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million forcefully displaced Rohingyas and most of them arrived on August 25, 2017 after a deadly crackdown by Myanmar's army which has been termed a ‘text book example of ethnic cleansing’. Over the last four years, displaced Rohingyas have appeared as a serious burden on the economy and environment of Bangladesh.
Needles to say, Bangladesh wants to resolve the Rohingya crisis through peaceful negotiation and the country expects similar reciprocity from Myanmar and international community.
We have always been serious about a safe repatriation of the refugees. Our government launched its diplomatic efforts to send them back and signed deals with Myanmar. But four years on, even a single Rohingya have not returned to their motherland in fear of being persecuted upon their return.
We expect a more vigorous role of the international
community on the diplomatic front to compel
Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas
Instead of taking back Rohingyas, Myanmar has been trying to misguide the international community to avoid its obligations for the repatriation and reintegration of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas. It seems we are paying the price for showing empathy to a persecuted minority population of a neighbouring country.
We have done the best we can to ensure Rohingya repatriation through peaceful negotiation but nothing has gone in our favor so far. Now the latest arbitrary move in Myanmar has created uncertainty over the Rohingya refugee repatriation process. There is no denying that Suu Kyi was no good for us but there was still hope that through negotiation the two neighboring countries would end up on a happy note. But now it is envisaged that Rohingya repartition will never be an important agenda for the military government of Myanmar.
The only way to get proper action from Myanmar’s military is to compel it through sanctions, travel bans or a freeze on assets. It is crucial that the international community continues to maintain pressure on Myanmar to create a conducive environment so that the Rohingya refugees can return to their homeland with safety, security and dignity. We expect a more vigorous role of the international community on the diplomatic front to compel Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas.