Rohingya repatriation
Rohingya Repatriation: Japan to encourage Myanmar to take concrete measures
Japan has assured Bangladesh that it will encourage Myanmar to take "concrete measures" to resolve the present situation for early start of the repatriation process of the Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine State.
Japan has also assured Bangladesh of extending support to assist Bangladesh's efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi conveyed the message to his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen in a recent letter, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read: Rohingya repatriation: PM seeks strong steps from world leaders
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district and Bhasan Char island.
The Japanese Foreign Minister said his country will continue to work to create an environment conducive to the "safe, voluntary and dignified" repatriation of the Rohingyas.
He said Bangladesh and Japan are tied with a strong bond based on the spirit of confidence, cooperation and mutual benefit as symbolized by the resemblance of two countries national flags since the independence of Bangladesh.
The Japanese Foreign Minister said he would like to further strengthen this traditional friendship on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2022.
Read: Rohingya Repatriation: Int'l community urged to take concrete actions
Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr Momen sent a letter to his new Japanese counterpart congratulating him on his appointment as the Foreign Minister of Japan.
France firmly with Bangladesh over Rohingya issue: FM Momen
French leaders have assured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that France is firmly with Bangladesh in finding a permanent solution to the protracted Rohingya issue, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.
“We’ll firmly remain beside you (Bangladesh) so that this crisis could end with a permanent solution,” the Foreign Minister quoted the French leaders as saying.
He said this while briefing reporters here about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent talks with various high-profile leaders of France, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Jean Castex.
The Foreign Minister said the Rohingya issue came up prominently during the meetings with all the French leaders, especially the French President.
Read: Speakers call for mounting int'l pressure on Myanmar to resolve Rohingya crisis
During the meetings, the French leaders were informed by the Bangladesh side that the country was trying to have a permanent solution to the crisis through various channels.
“We’ve been trying bilaterally, trilaterally and multilaterally. Even we went to the International Criminal Court,” said Foreign Minister Momen.
He mentioned that the problem was created by Myanmar and the solution also lies with them.
After the recent military coup in Myanmar, he said, Bangladesh did not have any direct discussion with its military rulers.
“We have told them (French leaders) that the western world still continues their businesses with them (Myanmar). They need to stop it in a bid to create pressure on them,” he said.
The French leaders, however, wanted to know whether this is possible to advance the dialogue for repatriation during the military government.
“We have told them that there were military governments in Myanmar in the 70s and the 90s when they had repatriated Rohingyas from Bangladesh,” he said.
Read: EU to remain “steadfast partner” of Bangladesh on Rohingya front: Envoy
The Foreign Minister said some 253,000 Rohingyas had entered Bangladesh in 1992 and 236,000 of them went back through dialogue and discussions. The same thing happened in the 1970s, Momen added.
“We have informed them (France) that there was no conflict in Rakhine state in the last four years. There’s no violence there. So, it’s the right time for the repatriation of Rohingyas,” he said, adding that the French top leaders were apprised that Bangladesh has good relations with its neighbours.
Dr Momen said Myanmar had agreed to take the Rohingyas back.
“They had said they would provide guaranteed safety and security. They had also agreed to create a conducive environment for their dignified return. But they’re implementing nothing,” he said.
As the French leaders asked Bangladesh whether the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) had been informed, the Foreign Minister said, “Yes, we’ve informed Asean. They (France) said they’ve talked to Asean. They asked Asean to take a strong step.”
Asean is slow and it cannot say anything on internal issues of any member country, the Bangladesh side said. “There was a long discussion (with French leaders on the Rohingya issue).”
Read: Dhaka shares with Paris security risks from Rohingya crisis
Dr Momen said Bangladesh told the French leaders to take the issue at the security council.
PM’s Press secretary Ihsanul Karim was, among others, present at the briefing.
EU lauds Bangladesh’s leadership on climate front
The European Union (EU) has commended Bangladesh’s leadership of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and the V20 Climate Vulnerables Finance Summit.
The EU invited Bangladesh to consider a Green Partnership with the EU as both sides will discuss it in detail at the climate dialogue in Dhaka in early 2022.
Bangladesh praised the EU’s commitments towards climate action and the EU provided further information regarding its proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
The EU and Bangladesh met for their fourth Diplomatic Consultations in Brussels recently and discussed the issues.
Bangladesh delegation was led by Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Masud Bin Momen while the EU delegation was led by the European External Action Service Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific Gunnar Wiegand.
The discussion covered a range of topics and priorities in the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation, with the EU signaling, inter alia, interest to support renewable energy, notably regional hydropower generation, and energy connectivity.
Both sides underscored the importance of updated Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and the need for mobilizing adequate funding for mitigation as well as adaptation, according to the joint press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Wednesday.
Fair Prices Sought
The EU appreciated Bangladesh for its continuing success as the by far largest beneficiary of the EU’s Everything But Arms (EBA) unilateral preferential trade scheme.
The EU welcomed the finalisation and publication by Bangladesh of its National Action Plan on the Labour Sector and stressed the need for its comprehensive implementation as per the stipulated timelines.
Bangladesh reiterated the need for ensuring fair prices, especially in view of the investments being made in safer and greener factories.
The EU reiterated its appreciation for the generous role and action of the people and Government of Bangladesh for continuing to temporarily host a million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar for more than four years.
The Bangladesh side thanked the EU for its political and humanitarian support in the aftermath of the crisis.
Mohib's killing, Rohingya repatriation: Bachelet for redoubling global pressure on Myanmar
Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah's killing should be a clarion call to the international community to redouble its pressure on Myanmar to recognise the Rohingya and accept their return to their homes in Rakhine State, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Friday.
She also emphasised the international community's role to pursue accountability for the terrible crimes committed against them.
Bachelet expressed her shock and sadness over the killing of Rohingya human rights defender Mohib Ullah and called for a prompt, thorough and effective investigation into his death.
"It is heartbreaking that a person who spent his life fighting to ensure that the violations committed against the Rohingya people were known worldwide has been murdered in this way," she said.
Mohib Ullah, who was chair of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH), was shot dead Wednesday by unknown assailants in the Kutupalong refugee camp of Cox’s Bazar.
Read: Mohib's murder: FIR lodged, probe in full swing, say police
Rohingya Repatriation: Int'l community urged to take concrete actions
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called on the international community including the UK to take concrete actions for creation of a conducive environment in Myanmar for sustainable return of Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine State.
Lord Ahmad, British State Minister for Foreign Affairs for South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth met the Foreign Minister at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in New York recently and discussed various issues including the Rohingya crisis.
Read: Rohingya repatriation: Dhaka seeks ICRC role in creating conditions in Rakhine
In the meeting, the issue of climate change was also discussed.
Rohingya repatriation: Dhaka seeks ICRC role in creating conditions in Rakhine
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said ICRC should work more actively in Rakhine State with Myanmar authorities for creating a conducive environment so that the Rohingyas can go back to their homeland in a sustainable and dignified manner.
Dr Momen made the call when he had a meeting with Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in New York recently.
Maurer expressed gratitude from ICRC to Bangladesh, particularly to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her humanitarian gesture in providing shelter to the Rohingyas when they entered Bangladesh after being persecuted in the homeland by their own state machinery.
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district and Bhasan Char.
Bangladesh at the UN General Assembly reiterated that the crisis was created in Myanmar and its solution lies in Myanmar.
Also read: ICRC continues supporting protection of detainees in Bangladesh amid COVID-19
Bangladesh seeks US investment, urgent steps for Rohingya repatriation
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam has invited US investment in Bangladesh and requested the USA authorities for providing duty-free market access to Bangladesh products.
The State Minister participated in a meeting with Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State of the USA on Wednesday and discussed the issues of mutual interest.
State Minister Alam called upon the international community, including the USA, to take urgent steps for ensuring safe, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to their homeland.
On bilateral issue, he raised the issue of deportation of Rashed Chowdhury, the self-confessed killer of Bangabandhu now living in the USA.
Recalling the earlier visit of Wendy Sherman to Bangladesh as the Assistant Secretary of State, State Minister Alam invited her to visit Bangladesh again in her new capacity.
Rohingya repatriation: Dhaka seeks Moscow's support
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has sought support from Russia for the early repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar's Rakhine State.
The minister made the request as newly appointed Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Vikentyevich Mantytskiy met him at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sunday.
Bangladesh continues to bear the burden of over 1.1 million Rohingyas as no repatriation took place over the last four years amid a "lack of initiative" from Myanmar and "inadequate steps" by the international community.
Bangladesh to take its policy towards Afghanistan independently: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Bangladesh will decide its policy towards Afghanistan independently noting that what India or Pakistan is doing is not that much important to Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh always decides its foreign policy in the interest of its own and very independently,” he told BBC Bangla in an interview making it clear that the decision of Bangladesh is not linked with that of any other country.
The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh always believes in a people's government that comes through a political and democratic process, and it always extends support to such a government where people’s desire is reflected.
“We’ll extend support if people’s desire is reflected in the new Afghan government. At this moment, we don’t know as we’re yet to understand the situation in Afghanistan,” Dr Momen said, adding that things will depend on how the new Afghan government acts and what policy it adopts after the formulation of the government.
The Foreign Minister, however, said there is a perception to get about the people in Afghanistan as what they want.
Read: Bangladesh observing Afghanistan situation, in touch with stranded citizens
Myanmar’s NUG in Exile: Safe, dignified Rohingya repatriation “utmost priority”
The National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar has said it will try its best in seeking justice and accountability for all crimes committed by the military against the Rohingya and all other people of Myanmar across the country throughout their history.
“It is important to bring perpetrators to account in the interest of truth and justice, and because we believe doing so will act as a deterrent against future atrocities,” the NUG said in a statement marking the 4th anniversary of atrocities committed against the Rohingya in August 25, 2017 that falls on Wednesday.
Read: 4th anniversary of Rohingya exodus arrives with repatriation a far cry
The NUG, a government in exile, said voluntary and safe repatriation of Rohingya people in a dignified manner is its “utmost priority” with all basic rights of the Rohingya in place.
They believe that repealing the 1982 Citizenship Law with a new one that bases citizenship in Myanmar or birth anywhere as a child of Myanmar citizen and abolishing the process of issuing National Verification Cards will also contribute to solving problems during the repatriation process.
On this solemn anniversary, the NUG reaffirmed its commitment to the fundamental principles enshrined in the Federal Democratic Charter.
That includes fundamental human rights and human dignity as well as individual rights held by each person regardless of their ethnic origin and collective rights held by ethnic groups, and to the establishment of a Federal Democratic Union in which the violence committed against the Rohingya will never be repeated.
Read: 74 Rohingyas held in Chattogram