Rohingyas may emerge as nat’l security threat

Says foreign minister

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali yesterday told Parliament that Rohingyas may become a threat for national security in the future, reports UNB. "Among the Cox's Bazar population, 20-25 per cent people are now Rakhine Muslims. Such huge Rakhine Muslims may become a threat for national security in the future," he said replying to an unstarred (written) question from Awami League MP Md Israfil Alam (Naogaon-6).
The Foreign Minister said some 33,000 Rohingyas, registered as refugees, are living in two camps run by United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cox's Babazar. But it is estimated that some 3 to 4 lakh unregistered Myanmar citizens have been staying in five districts, including Cox's Bazar, he added. He said some 75,000 Myanmar citizens entered Bangladesh afresh since October 2016 till now following the military drives in Rakhine state.
The Muslims community was subjected to massive repression in Rakhine following the military drives after attack on a Myanmar border post in 2016. So, huge Muslim nationals started intruding Bangladesh, he said. Mahmood Ali said though Bangladesh urged Myanmar to take back its people on several occasions, it did not pay any heed to the call. The Myanmar authorities also do not consider the Rakhine Muslims as their citizens, he added.
He said Bangladesh also drew the attention of the international community to address the issue
and the government also outlined a plan to shift the Rohingyas to an island at Hatia of Noakhali district, but it faced opposition from various quarters.
The minister said Myanmar intruders are harming Bangladesh in terms of social, economic, political and environmental aspects. “They’re contributing to a law-and-order slide by engaging in various misdeeds. They are also putting a negative influence on our overseas labour market.”
He went on saying, “The Rakhine people have got engaged in various misdeeds, including drug smuggling, arms and human trafficking and producing drug on border. Creating a gang of miscreants, they’ve become a national security concern for Bangladesh.”
In reply to an unstarred question from Jatiya Party MP AKM Mayeedul Islam, the minister said Bangladesh has so far signed total 101 memoranda of understanding, bilateral agreements with China since 1977.
Besides, the Bangladesh signed 134 bilateral agreements, memoranda of understanding and protocols with India since 1972, while 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding with Russia since 1972.

Rohingyas may emerge as natl security threat

Says foreign minister

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali yesterday told Parliament that Rohingyas may become a threat for national security in the future, reports UNB. Among the Coxs Bazar population, 20-25 per cent people are now Rakhine Muslims. Such huge Rakhine Muslims may become a threat for national security in the future, he said replying to an unstarred (written) question from Awami League MP Md Israfil Alam (Naogaon-6). The Foreign Minister said some 33,000 Rohingyas, registered as refugees, are living in two camps run by United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Coxs Babazar. But it is estimated that some 3 to 4 lakh unregistered Myanmar citizens have been staying in five districts, including Coxs Bazar, he added. He said some 75,000 Myanmar citizens entered Bangladesh afresh since October 2016 till now following the military drives in Rakhine state. The Muslims community was subjected to massive repression in Rakhine following the military drives after attack on a Myanmar border post in 2016. So, huge Muslim nationals started intruding Bangladesh, he said. Mahmood Ali said though Bangladesh urged Myanmar to take back its people on several occasions, it did not pay any heed to the call. The Myanmar authorities also do not consider the Rakhine Muslims as their citizens, he added. He said Bangladesh also drew the attention of the international community to address the issue and the government also outlined a plan to shift the Rohingyas to an island at Hatia of Noakhali district, but it faced opposition from various quarters. The minister said Myanmar intruders are harming Bangladesh in terms of social, economic, political and environmental aspects. Theyre contributing to a law-and-order slide by engaging in various misdeeds. They are also putting a negative influence on our overseas labour market. He went on saying, The Rakhine people have got engaged in various misdeeds, including drug smuggling, arms and human trafficking and producing drug on border. Creating a gang of miscreants, theyve become a national security concern for Bangladesh. In reply to an unstarred question from Jatiya Party MP AKM Mayeedul Islam, the minister said Bangladesh has so far signed total 101 memoranda of understanding, bilateral agreements with China since 1977. Besides, the Bangladesh signed 134 bilateral agreements, memoranda of understanding and protocols with India since 1972, while 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding with Russia since 1972.