Dhaka hopeful of global support to resolve Rohingya crisis

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque yesterday reiterated the hope for supports from international community to resolve the Rohingya problem, saying the forcibly displaced people from Myanmar have become a major challenge for the country.

"We will continue our fight for establishing rights of all migrant people," he said in his presidential remarks at a discussion here.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organized the discussion titled 'Global Compacts for Migration and Refugee' at the BIISS auditorium in the city.

Special Policy Advisor to the Director General of International Organization for Migration (IOM) Gervais Appave, UNHCR representative Andrew Mbogori and Dhaka University Professor of International Relations Department Dr Imtiaz Ahmed spoke at the event, among others.

The foreign secretary highlighted the country's initiatives in proposing a 'Global Compact' for migrants in the United Nations (UN) and said the diplomatic efforts of Bangladesh resulted in adaption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants.

In his speech, Gervais said the drivers of global migration are various that include, among others, security challenges and regional instability, deteriorating economic and social environment, poverty and unemployment and climate change, which threaten livelihoods.

He emphasized on cooperation among states and proper border management that can help, to a great extend, to resolve various problems emanating from international migration and border crossing.

Gervais hoped that the ongoing intergovernmental negotiation would be successful in the adaption of the 'Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and a Global Compact on Refugees by 2018'.

In his speech, Andrew lauded Bangladesh for its generous solidarity to international refugees and hosting over 1.2 million people from neighboring Myanmar.

The UNHCR is working to ensure that everyone has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state, he said, underscoring the need for intensifying international help to ease the pressure of the hosting countries.

Prof Imtiaz said migration did never happen in an orderly manner in human history. It was always chaotic and desperately, he added.

He said nowadays everyone want to go away for the lack of certainty in their current position.

He also underscored the need for safe and orderly migration to ensure the rights of the migrant people.

Ambassadors and representatives from different national and international organizations and ministries took part in the dissuasion.

Source: bss