‘Rohingya repatriation anytime’

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas and most of them entered Bangladesh since 25 August, 2017 amid military-led crackdown in Rakhine state of Myanmar. UNB File Photo
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas and most of them entered Bangladesh since 25 August, 2017 amid military-led crackdown in Rakhine state of Myanmar. UNB File Photo

Foreign secretary M Shahidul Haque on Sunday said the repatriation of Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine State will begin anytime mentioning that the issue is very much on the table, reports UNB.

"It (repatriation) can start anytime. It's a continuous process," Haque said without giving any specific date when he was asked whether the repatriation of Rohingyas will begin on 22 August.

The Red and Green Research, an initiative of journalists, organised the discussion titled 'Rohingya Crisis: Way Forward' at the auditorium of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in the city.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas and most of them entered Bangladesh since 25 August, 2017 amid military-led crackdown in Rakhine.

The foreign secretary said the repatriation has always been one of the priority issues for Bangladesh as it is looking for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

BIISS chairman Munshi Faiz Ahmad and former chairman of National Human Rights Commission Mizanur Rahman also spoke at the discussion.

Red and Green Research director Shahidul Islam Chowdhury presented the keynote paper.