DHAKA, April 21, 2021 (BSS) – State Minister for foreign affairs
Shahriar Alam today called upon the international community to engage
in depth with Myanmar in a ‘meaningful way’ to find a lasting solution
for the persecuted Rohingyas.
“International community must not shy away from their
responsibility to resolve the crisis and relieve Bangladesh from the
burden that Myanmar has imposed upon us,” he said in a webinar.
Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS)
organized the webinar titled “The Rohingya Crisis: Response of the
International Community and the Repatriation Process”.
He said the international community should make a concerted effort
to stabilize the situation in Myanmar and effectively prevent any
further mass displacement or cross border exodus.
Key nations in the region and ASEAN countries with diverse direct
leverage over Myanmar have added responsibility in building confidence
among the Rohingya and to ensure peace and stability of the region, he
said.
Noting that repatriation of all displaced people to Myanmar remains
a compelling priority for Bangladesh, he said, “Only through our
concerted efforts, sustained repatriation can become a reality”.
He said the displaced people are not expected to opt for return on
their own volition unless Myanmar creates a conducive environment in
Rakhine and builds confidence among Rohingya.
But, the state minister said Myanmar authorities did not
demonstrate genuine political will to resolve the crisis.
Rather, he said, Myanmar has attempted to make falsified and
misrepresented facts, unsubstantiated claims, and laid unjustifiable
blame on Bangladesh to deny their own obligations and thereby
misguided the international community.
“At the same time, the business as usual approach of the
international community by means of increased bilateral trade,
investment and development assistance have undoubtedly encouraged
Myanmar to flout the decisions of international mechanisms and
continue mass atrocities on its minorities with a greater sense of
impunity,” Alam observed.
In this regard, he said, the ongoing judicial proceedings both at
the ICJ and the ICC are of utmost importance to put an end to
Myanmar’s long history of persecution, deep rooted culture of
impunity.
“While Bangladesh has been playing a proactive role in relevant
international level to uphold justice and rights for Rohingya, the
international community must remain focused, vigorously pursue
accountability and justice though these international judicial
mechanisms,” he said.
He said the outcomes and experiences of Bangladesh’s bilateral
diplomatic efforts of working with Myanmar on the Rohingya issue
clearly suggest that Dhaka alone cannot solve the crisis.