“We must understand why the Rohingyas don’t want to go back. There’s a hearsay you (govt) want to keep the crisis alive out of fear that you won’t be able to use the issue as your political weapon if they (Rohingyas) go back home,” he said.
The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a discussion arranged by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Projonmo71 at the Jatiya Press Club, marking its 14th founding anniversary.
Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, said the government should not consider a serious problem like Rohingya one as its own issue. ”It’s a national crisis and a collective leadership is necessary to overcome the problem. We must create a national consensus with all parties to find a solution.”
He also said there should have been strong efforts to win the support of influential countries and the United Nations to ensure the security of Rohingyas and their safe return to their own country.
The BNP leader urged the government to take steps for creating the national unity over the Rohingya problem and resolve it with united efforts.
Criticising the ruling party leaders and ministers for blaming BNP for the Rohingya crisis, Gayeshwar alleged that the government itself is instigating Rohingyas to create a trouble here.
“Our Foreign Minister has said those who’re provoking Rohingyas will be dealt with an iron hand. It’s a good stance, but the government itself is inciting the Rohingyas,” he said.
“How did lakhs of Rohingyas hold a rally, if the government had no provocation? How did they take out processions when political parties don’t get permission for such programmes in Bangladesh? I think the government has a provocation to Rohingyas with an ill motive,” the BNP leader added.
On Friday, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen warned of legal steps against those instigating Rohingyas not to go back to their homeland in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
“We’ve learned that various NGOs are inciting [Rohingyas]. We’re scrutinising them,” he said at a Doa Mahfil in Sylhet.
Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas and most of them entered the country since August 25, 2017. The two countries signed a repatriation deal on November 23, 2017, but there has been little progress.
About Krishak Sramik Janata League President Abdul Kader Siddiqui’s comment that he quit Jatiya Oikyafront as he did not join it to make BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman a leader, Gayeshwar said Tarique became a leader even one and a half decades before formation of the Dr Kamal Hossain-led alliance.
“You (Kader) joined Oikyafront considering your political gains and left it as your interests were not secured you left it. It’s not an unusual case,” the BNP leader observed.