DHAKA, Feb 1, 2021 (BSS) – Bangladesh hoped that democratic process
and constitutional arrangements will be upheld in Myanmar as the
neighboring country’s military declared a one-year state of emergency
after reportedly arresting civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other
senior officials today.
“As an immediate and friendly neighbour, we would like to see peace
and stability in Myanmar,” said a Bangladesh foreign ministry
statement after Myanmar military appointed a general as acting
president this morning.
The statement said Bangladesh firmly adheres to and promotes
democratic ethos.
The foreign ministry said Dhaka has been persistent in developing
mutually beneficial relations with Naypyidaw and working with Myanmar
for the voluntary, safe and sustained repatriation of the forcefully
displaced Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh.
“We expect these processes to continue in right earnest,” read the statement.
Meanwhile, while approached by media, foreign minister Dr AK Abdul
Momen said Rohingya repatriation is a priority for Bangladesh and
Dhaka will continue its discussion on the issue with Myanmar
government, doesn’t matter whoever in the power.
“Our discussion will continue with the Myanmar government, not with
any individual,” he said.
Mentioning that Rohingyas repartition was seen in 1978 and 1992
under the Myanmar’s military government, he said, “It’s my belief that
we’ll be able to achieve our goal.”
Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million forcefully displaced
Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district and most of them arrived there since
August 25, 2017 after a military crackdown by Myanmar, which the UN
called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” by
other rights groups.
Myanmar had said they were committed to beginning repatriation of
Rohingyas as per the bilateral agreement signed with Bangladesh in
2017.
However, in last three years, Myanmar did not take back a single
Rohingya while the attempts of repatriation failed twice due to trust
deficit among the Rohingyas about their safety and security in the
Rakhine state.
Myanmar’s military seized power today in a coup against the
democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi,
who was detained along with Myanmar President Win Myint and other
leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in early
morning raids, media reports said.
The detentions came after days of escalating tension between the
civilian government and the military that stirred fears of a coup in
the aftermath of the last November election.
An announcement of military-owned Myanmar’s Myawaddy TV said the
move was needed to preserve the “stability” of the state, accusing the
country’s election commission of failing to address “huge
irregularities” in the November election.
Later, Myanmar’s army said it will hold fresh elections and hand
power to the winning party once a year-long state of emergency has
elapsed.
Soldiers took up positions at city hall in Yangon and mobile
internet data and phone services in the NLD stronghold were disrupted,
residents said. Internet connectivity also had fallen dramatically,
according to international media reports.