Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said talks with Myanmar are underway on the basis of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s five point proposals placed in the UN general assembly recently, reports BSS. “In the face of the intense global pressure, Myanmar has become bound to hold talks with Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue,” he said at a press conference held at a local hotel in Cox’s Bazar.

Quader, also, Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said the global pressure forced Myanmar to hold talks on the Rohingya issue with Bangladesh in the face of the government’s successful diplomatic efforts.

“Myanmar has in fact shifted from its rigid stand and sent its minister to Bangladesh for discussing the Rohingya issue and agreeing to work in a joint working group,” he said.

Quader said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, neither under any pressure or on any request, ordered to open the Bangladesh border with Myanmar for the distressed Rohingyas in the consideration of humanity.

She is also working hard as to how to send these poor people of the Rakhaine state of Myanmar back to their homes, he said.

“The global leaders highly praised the Prime Minister’s five point proposals placed at the UN general assembly for resolving the Rohingya issue.

She and her party expect that the Rohingya issue would be resolved through these proposals,” the minister added.

Referring to BNP’s remark on the Rohingya issue, he said BNP is spreading falsehood and playing drama in the name of relief distribution here, adding, “The party is also propagating malice against this popular government.”

On Monday, BNP described the decision of Bangladesh and Myanmar to form a joint working group to start the repatriation process of all the Rohingyas staying in Bangladesh as eyewash and deception.

"The meeting between Bangladesh and Myanmar is nothing but eyewash. The Foreign Minister's assertion that Myanmar has agreed to form a joint working group is nothing, but trickery," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office, he said the implementation of the decisions of the joint working group on repartition of Rohingyas is a lengthy process.

The BNP leader said the government is not active to take effective steps to promptly send back the Rohingyas to their homeland with security and dignity.