ZCZC
BSS-11
BANGLADESH-MYANMAR-JWG
Bangladesh, Myanmar sign deal to start safe return of Rohingyas
DHAKA, Dec 19, 2017 (BSS) – Bangladesh and Myanmar today signed an
agreement that mandates the Joint Working Group (JWG) to undertake necessary
measures to start the safe and voluntary return of Rohingya people who were
forcibly displaced from Myanmar.
Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and his Myanmar counterpart U Myint Thu
signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments following a
meeting held this morning at State Guest House Padma.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali was present on the occasion. A nine-member
Myanmar delegation led by the permanent secretary discuused with the
Bangladesh delegation before finalising the agreement, a foreign ministry
statement said after the meeting.
Representatives from relevant ministries and agencies from both countries
participated in the meeting.
The agreement mandates the JWG to undertake all necessary measures to
start the safe and voluntary return, resettlement and reintegration process
of displaced Myanmar residents as envisaged in the “Arrangement on Return of
Displaced Persons from Rakhine State”.
Foreign Minister A H Mahmood Ali and Union Minister at the State
Counsellor’s Office U Kyaw Tint Swe signed the “Arrangement on Return of
Displaced Persons from Rakhine State” in Nay Pyi Taw on November 23, 2017.
According to today’s agreement, the JWG will develop physical arrangement
for return, which would include mechanism of verification, time schedule,
transport, and logistic arrangements, reception procedures and communication
to commence the repatriation process within the stipulated time frame
mentioned in the arrangement. The JWG will assess the process and report to
the respective governments quarterly.
The JWG will involve assistance of the UNHCR and other mandated UN
agencies and interested international partners in various stages of
repatriation, the statement said.
“The JWG shall ensure commencement of repatriation within two months of
the signing of the arrangement”.
The meeting also finalized a 15-member composition of the Joint Working
Group (JWC) from both the countries.
BSS/AIM/RY/1450