Ensure Rohingya repatriation: BNP to govt

BNP on Tuesday urged the government to take appropriate diplomatic steps to ensure the repatriation of Rohingyas to their motherland in Myanmar following the new political development in the neighboring country. 

"Although lakhs of Rohingyas have been staying in Bangladesh for the past few years after being forcibly displaced from Myanmar, the government has not been able to make any arrangement for their safe repatriation," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

In a statement, he said, "In the current new political context, BNP urges the government to take swift diplomatic actions so that the issue (of repatriation of Rohingyas) does not become more difficult or complicated."

The BNP leader also voiced concern over the military coup in Myanmar by revoking the parliament elected under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Fakhrul said their party thinks snatching the democratic rights and governing system which the people of Myanmar had attained through a long struggle is unethical and unacceptable.

“The people of Bangladesh want to see the continuation of democratic governance in Myanmar since they can feel well how the people of neighbouring Myanmar will be affected in absence of a political culture of accountability and an elected and accountable government,” he observed.

Over 800,000 Rohingyas have taken shelter in Bangladesh fleeing the “genocidal violence unleashed by Myanmar Army more than three years back. Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas forcibly displaced by Myanmar.

Coup in Myanmar

Myanmar's military seized power in a bloodless coup on Monday detaining Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s president and other ruling party leaders, a move that sparked global outrage.

The army handed power to General Min Aung Hlaing and imposed a state of emergency for a year.

The military takeover followed a landslide win for Suu Kyi's party National League for Democracy (NLD) in November elections. The military turned down the election results citing various allegations of vote frauds.

Source: UNB