Hasina requests India to play ‘strong role’ in Rohingyas’ early repatriation to Myanmar

Dhaka, March 27

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday requested India, as a member of the UN Security Council, to play a “strong role” in the early repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas back to Myanmar during her talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

According to a joint statement issued on the occasion of Prime Minister Modi’s visit, the issue of the 1.1 million forcibly-displaced persons from the Rakhine state of Myanmar featured during the talks between the two leaders.

Both the prime ministers reiterated the importance of their safe, speedy and sustainable return to their homeland for the greater security of the region, it said.

Prime Minister Hasina requested India, as a member of the United Nations Security Council, to play a strong role in the early repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas back to Myanmar, the statement said, adding that India assured its continued support on the issue. India is currently a non-permanent member of the UNSC.

“Prime Minister Modi expressed appreciation at the generosity of Bangladesh in sheltering and providing humanitarian assistance to the 1.1 million forcibly displaced persons from the Rakhine state of Myanmar,” the joint statement said.

According to Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, Prime Minister Hasina said the return of these people in the quickest possible time was needed since the lingering of the crisis could create grounds for their involvement in terrorist activities and drug trading.

“Sooner is the better,” Karim quoted her as saying.

In response, Prime Minister Modi told Hasina that his country wants a sustainable return of the refugees in a sustainable manner.

Nearly one million Rohingya Muslims fled a crackdown by the Myanmarese military in 2017 in Rakhine state and are living in camps in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.

Myanmar has faced international pressure to allow Rohingyas to return to Rakhine and grant them citizenship rights. PTI

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