PM wants int’l pressure for Rohingya repatriation

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday stressed the need for quick repatriation of Myanmar's forcibly displaced Rohingya people, reports UNB.

She renewed the call upon the international community, including the UN, to exert more pressure on Myanmar to take back its nationals to their homeland.

The prime minister made the call when newly appointed UN resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative in Dhaka Mia Seppo met her at her Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office in the evening.

Sheikh Hasina said the process could be expedited once the repatriation of the Rohingyas begins, the prime minister's press secretary Ihsanul Karim told newsmen.

The premier put emphasis on both bilateral and multi-lateral efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

She extended her gratitude to the UN agencies for supporting Bangladesh and trying to address the issue.

Hasina also thanked development partners and other international players for their emergency services to the Rohingya people who fled to Bangladesh.

About the impact of such huge Ronhigya influx into Bangladesh, the prime minister said local people in Cox's Bazar are suffering as they cannot cultivate their lands. More importantly, she said, the environment is being affected due to the stay of the refugees.

During the meeting, the new UN official highly appreciated Hasina for providing shelter to the Rohingyas saying her government showed an incredible compassion in this regard.

She said such huge influx of the Myanmar nationals from Rakhaine in just three weeks' time is surprising.

Mia Seppo lauded the efforts and good management of the government in providing various assistance and support, and sheltering such huge refugees.

She, however, put importance to decongestion of Rohingya camps to ensure a healthy environment there as those are overpopulated.