“We can’t drive them (Rohingya) out from the country forcibly on humanitarian ground. Some international NGOs are involved in instigating Rohingyas to remain there after getting fund,” said the Minister while taking to reporters at the Secretariat.

The information minister’s comments would provide further fuel to a rumour growing more and more pronounced around the issue of Rohingya repatriation. The rumour tries to assert that the Rohingya refugees are being held back from returning to the homes they fled  in Rakhine state of Myanmar by international NGOs and their local partners working in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, completely overlooking the most important condition of whether the situation in Rakhine has changed sufficiently to allow them to return without fearing persecution.    

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has not given permanent shelter to Rohingyas, he said, adding: “Though the process to step up pressure on Myanmar internationally is going on, we hope they will go back to their state immediately.”

There are some allegations brought against Rohingyas that they are involved in some criminal offences and the local people who have given shelter to them (Rohingya) are seen as minority here, he said.

Besides, the local people are getting irritated by the ‘behaviour’ of Rohingyas and if their anger turns into disturbance the situation will get complicated, said Hasan.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas most of whom entered the country since August 25, 2017. The two countries signed a repatriation deal on November 23, 2017, but there has been little progress.

The Information Minister also said the government has taken initiative to build an information building in all the districts with a movie theatre where films will be screened and the government will be benefited from it.