Photo: Metropolis-
Md Mizanur Rahman Himadri-
Speakers at a seminar laid emphasis on proper, sustainable and humanitarian rehabilitation of Rohingya refugees in the Rakhine state in the greater interest of regional peace, stability and prosperity as Bangladesh is overburdened with an influx of a large number of refugees.
The Diplomats, a prestigious magazine, organized the seminar titled ‘Regional geopolitical imperative and importance of local dynamics in Myanmar in resolving Rohingya Crisis’ at the Sheraton hotel at Banani on Tuesday
Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of Department of International Relations of University of Dhaka, delivered the keynote speech at the seminar.
He said countries like India, China and Japan should be engaged extensively in getting solutions to the crisis to the Rohingyas that is not only putting economic burden on Bangladesh, but also putting a security threat to the country.
Though no sign of progress has been in sight in recent years in repatriating Rohingya refugees in the Rakhine state, Bangladesh will have to pin hopes in resolving perennial crisis by engaging stakeholders in world politics.
According to the UN, 656,000 refugees, mostly children and women, fled to Bangladesh since August 25, 2017 when Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community. At least 9,000 Rohingyas were killed in Rakhine state from August 25 to September 24, according to Doctors Without Borders.
Echoing with “Five-Point Consensus” and endorsed by the ASEAN leaders, Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Hazna Md Hasim has laid emphasis on peaceful, sustainable and effective solutions to the Rohingya crisis in the greater interest of regional stability.
Hazna Md Hasim said Malaysia has been also hosting a good number of Rohingya refugees for a long.
The five steps the regime agreed to with the ASEAN leaders are: an immediate end to violence in the country; dialogue among all parties concerned; the appointment of a special envoy; provision of humanitarian assistance by ASEAN; and a visit by the bloc’s special envoy to Myanmar to meet with all parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that ASEAN’s “Five-Point Consensus” – which had called for an immediate end to violence, the appointment of a special envoy and discussions involving all stakeholders – needed to be given “a new lease of life”.
Since launching the ethnic cleansing in 2017, the Myanmar junta has shown no willingness to implement or cooperate with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s peace plan for Myanmar, known as the Five-Point Consensus, despite agreeing to it at a meeting with the leaders of the regional grouping’s member states.
Malaysia has been leading calls for a tougher approach to Myanmar’s military administration, and has also called for ASEAN to engage with the National Unity Government (NUG) established by the elected politicians the generals removed from power.
Since launching the ethnic cleansing in 2017, the Myanmar junta has shown no willingness to implement or cooperate with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s peace plan for Myanmar, known as the Five-Point Consensus, despite agreeing to it at a meeting with the leaders of the regional grouping’s member states.
Dr Bernd Spanier, Deputy Head of Delegation and Head of Political, Economic, Trade, Press and Information Section, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, said that Bangladesh is handling the population of a small EU country like Luxembourg while giving shelter to Rohingya refugees. The population of Luxembourg stood at 665385 as of March 06, 2023. He praised the Bangladesh government to give shelter to Rohingya refugees that are putting pressure on Bangladesh’s economy.
Citing corona pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war and devastating earthquake in Turkey, Dr Bernd Spanier cautioned that international support to the Rohingya refugees will gradually come down in the coming days.
Condemning the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya refugees in the Rakhine state in 2017, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh Issa Bin Youssef Al-Dahilan said that Rohingya refugees should be repatriated with citizenship and dignity in Myanmar.
He also laid emphasis on the resolution of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in overcoming the crisis and getting back to the political solution.
Issa Bin Youssef Al-Dahilan said that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, or KSrelief, has been supporting Rohingya refugees since the beginning of the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar which triggered their exodus to Bangladesh.
Established in 2015, the KSrelief is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian arm dedicated to coordinating and delivering external humanitarian aid and international relief to crisis-affected communities. KSrelief has so far granted UNICEF more than US$334 million to support humanitarian response for children in a number of countries, including Yemen, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Somalia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution “on the situation of human rights of Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar” without a vote.
“We would like to see the increased role of the regional countries and the regional organisations in resolving the Rohingya crisis with enhanced urgency, before it turns into a regional security crisis,” according to the statement of Bangladesh at the adoption of 3rd Committee Resolution on the situation of Rohingya in Myanmar.
Former State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Executive Advisor to Diplomats Publication Abul Hasan Chowdhury, former Principle Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division Lt Gen (Retd) Md Mahfuzur Rahman, Chairman of Arakan Rohingya National organization Nurul Islam and Director of London Tea Exchange and Co-Founder of London College of Marketing and Technology Misbah Chowdhury and Executive Editor of Diplomats Publication Nazinur Rahim also spoke on the occasion.
