Bangladesh ambassador to Yangon, along with envoys of four countries bordering it, have been invited by Myanmar to visit northern Rakhine, the worst affected areas from where more than 5 lakh Rohingya Muslims were forced to cross into Cox’s Bazar due to the atrocities orchestrated by

the country’s security forces since August 25. “The government of Myanmar has invited ambassadors of five bordering countries – Bangladesh, China, India, Thailand and Laos – to visit the affected areas of the northern part of Rakhine state. We have asked our envoy to go,” Foreign Minister  AH Mahmood Ali told reporters yesterday after briefing envoys of 27 countries, including Myanmar and the European Union, on Rohingya crisis at the state guest house Padma in the capital.

Ambassadors, high commissioners and chargé d'affaires of missions of Australia, China, Egypt, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, Sweden, United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, India, The Netherlands, Vatican, Denmark, Spain, EU, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Switzerland and Norway attended the diplomatic briefing.

“The visit will take place within a day or two,” he said. The foreign minister also said that Bangladesh has proposed to Myanmar that Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan may visit that country upon its invitation between October 20 and 30. “We are waiting for a reply from Myanmar,” he said.

“Upon the return of the home minister, I’ll visit Myanmar,” he added. During the visit of the home minister, two memorandums of understanding (MoU)  – one on border liaison office and the other one on framework agreement on security and development  -- will be signed between the two countries, said the minister.

The MoUs will help bring ‘qualitative change’ to the current situation, he hoped. Ruling out of any possibility of engaging in war with Myanmar, the foreign minister took a swipe at those who are talking ‘nonsense’ in the talk shows, and said, “War is not possible. War will destroy everything.”

He called for national unity at this critical time and said the government always welcomes any constructive criticism and suggestions.

Ali reiterated Dhaka’s determination to resolve the Rohingya problem in a peaceful manner and said that the government is doing its best to resolve the crisis.

Recalling the recent visit of a Myanmar minister, he said, “As the Myanmar minister entered the room, I asked him what message have you brought for us. In reply, he assured of taking back the Rohingyas, who came after October, last year,” To a question referring to an agency

report that the EU and US are considering to impose travel ban on some Myanmar generals, he said that the EU envoy made the meeting known that the bloc has a minister-level meeting on October 16.

To a question, the foreign minister said that everything will be done step by step.

To another question, he replied that Bangladesh is yet to hear anything from the Myanmar side regarding a taskforce for repatriation discussed during the Myanmar minister’s recent visit to Bangladesh.

When asked if he trusts Myanmar, Ali avoided a direct reply, saying, “The answer to your question lies in my previous answer” Previously, when asked as to how Bangladesh combines these bilateral engagements with Myanmar and the happenings in Rakhine where about one lakh Rohingyas are waiting to cross into Bangladesh, he said, “This job will have to be done.”

When asked about Russia’s position on the Rohingya problem, the minister claimed, “There has been some change. It did not veto at the United Nations security council.”