Bangladesh foreign minister for expediting Rohingya repatriation

The government has asked the visiting UN special rapporteur on human rights Yanghee Lee to engage with several countries that maintain good bilateral relations with Myanmar for solutions to the Rohingya crisis. 
‘We need active support from other countries,’ foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said after separate meetings with Yanghee Lee and Japanese ambassador in Dhaka Hiroyasu Izumi. 
Eying a quick solution to the Rohingya crisis, Momen said the process the two countries have so far been able to roll into motion ‘is slow and it is taking a long time,’ in finding a solution. 
Pursuing a lengthy process could create uncertainty for both Bangladesh and Myanmar and other countries in the region, he said. 
Momen and Lee discussed the possibility of engaging with Thailand, India, Singapore, Japan and South Korea as these countries maintain good relations at their respective bilateral levels. 
When asked if they discussed the likelihood of a visit to China, a strong supporter of Myanmar in the UN, officials said, Lee is free to visit any country subject to consent of the countries concern. 
In the meeting, Lee also expressed her concern about the tense situation in Rakhine State due to clashes between Myanmar military and private armed group of Arakan Army run by Rakhine Buddhists. 
Lee arrived in Bangladesh on a six-day visit starting from Saturday. She told reporters that she would go to Cox’s Bazar on Monday for visiting Rohingya camps. 
Lee, in her meeting with the minister, expressed intent to visit Bhashanchar of Noakhali where the government was taking preparations for transferring a section of Rohingya people from overcrowded makeshift shelters in Cox’s Bazar. 
Officials told her that the government would facilitate such visit after completing constructions in the island for taking the Rohingya victims. 
More than 7,00,000 Rohingyas, mostly women, children and aged people, entered Bangladesh after fleeing unbridled murder, arson and rape during the ‘security operations’ by Myanmar military in Rakhine, what the United Nations denounced as ethnic cleansing and genocide, beginning from August 25, 2017.
The ongoing Rohingya influx took the number of undocumented Myanmar nationals and registered refugees in Bangladesh to about 11,16,000 according to estimates by UN agencies and Bangladesh foreign ministry.
Not a single Rohingya returned to Rakhine since the two countries signed three agreements for facilitating the repatriation process under supervision of the UN. 
Lee earlier said incidents in Rakhine State of Myanmar bear the ‘hallmarks of genocide’ and called for accountability of the people involved in crimes committed in the region. 
Myanmar refused to allow Lee to visit the country. 
When asked about Japan’s position on Rohingya issues, ambassador Hiroyasu Izumi said Japan ‘is on Bangladesh’s side and favours a sustainable solution with repatriation.’ 
The foreign minister said he discussed with the Japanese ambassador about the government’s plan to engage in economic diplomacy for seeking extended support from Japan for implementing roadmap for Bangladesh development.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net