Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali yesterday said that Bangladesh wants voluntary repatriation of Rohingyas and that nobody will be sent back forcibly to their home country. He also told reporters that Dhaka will sign a memorandum of understanding with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to be involved with the repatriation of the Rohingyas. “The UNHCR has provided us a draft and we are working on it. The agreement will be done,” the minister told reporters after separately briefing envoys of countries belonging to Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other nations, at the state guest house Padma in the capital, about the repatriation of the Rohingyas. It has been learnt that the UN and its organisations were not invited yesterday. The foreign minister revealed that Myanmar wants the involvement of UNHCR when necessary, not now. The minister said that Myanmar involved China, Japan and India for the development activities of Rakhine state. Bangladesh also proposed that ambassadors of the European counties in Myanmar are taken to the Rakhine state, he said.

The foreign minister, when asked if the repatriation will begin on Tuesday as reported by media quoting Myanmar information ministry, avoided a direct answer, saying, “Let’s see. I won’t tell any date. But you see the process has already started.”

Ahead of the repatriation, envoys of different

countries especially from the developed ones are stressing the need for creating a favourable situation in Rakhine before the return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas, who

had to flee their homeland to escape the atrocities of the Myanmar security forces, local Buddhist vigilantes and people from different ethnic groups, according to government officials concerned.

But, they said that the foreign diplomats would not say as to how to create such a situation and how long it might take.

“Hearing them, it seems to me that the Rohingya crisis is the issue that only concerns Bangladesh and we have to create a conducive environment. But, the fact is just opposite. We are suffering for nothing,” a senior government official told The Independent last night. “They (Western diplomats) along with the United Nations and its organisations are talking about safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas.  But, there appears to be no move from them to compel Myanmar to create a safe situation so that their people can return to their homes,” he said.

Another senior official pointed out to the inaction of the international community including the UN, saying that so many months have elapsed since the beginning of the latest atrocity since August 25, 2017, the Myanmar government is yet to allow any international organisations and media unfettered access to Rakhine state.

To a question, the officials said that they really do not know when the situation will be right for the Rohingyas to return to Rakhine.

“Rohingyas are entering as we speak,” said an official, adding that it is the responsibility of the international community to put pressure on Myanmar to take their people after creating a favourable situation.

Earlier, diplomats stationed in Dhaka yesterday laid emphasis on ‘safe, voluntary and dignified’ return of Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar to make their return sustainable.

Speaking to reporters, United States Ambassador Marcia Bernicat expressed Washington’s support for Dhaka in completing the repatriation process, but placed emphasis on safe return of Rohingyas.

She noted that the Rohingyas are unwilling to return which is the key challenge and talked about development of Rakhine for the displaced persons to feel safe to return.

British High Commissioner Alison Blake said the repatriation should be safe, voluntary and dignified that will make things sustainable.

“We always believe there should be sustainable development in the Rakhine state in order to create an environment so that they feel to go back their home,” said Indian high commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

Saying that India’s intention to facilitate the repatriation process to restore normalcy in Rakhine, he pointed out, “In fact our effort is to help by doing something on the ground.”

At the briefings, the foreign minister expressed his deep gratitude to the members of the diplomatic community for their unremitting support in handling the Rohingya influx as well as in reaching the bilateral agreement with Myanmar for their return, a foreign ministry press release said.

He urged the diplomats to continue their engagement with Myanmar for effective implementation of the return arrangements.

Referring to the arrangement of return and the subsequent agreements relating to formation of joint working group and the physical arrangement of return, Ali said that Bangladesh has put its best efforts to ensure that the agreements facilitate safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return.

In this regard, he referred to various provisions of the agreements, such as, Myanmar’s commitment to implement the report of the Kofi Annan Commission, non-discrimination and respect for international human rights instruments vis-à-vis the returnees, and engagement of international community in the resettlement of Rohingyas in the Rakhine state.

The foreign minister mentioned that Bangladesh tried to create space for international actors in every phase of the return, resettlement and reintegration.

In this regard he referred to the initiatives of India, China and Japan in developing resettlement facilities in the Rakhine state and encouraged the international community to offer similar helps to Myanmar.

The diplomats commended the people for sheltering the persecuted Rohingyas and also for managing a humanitarian situation of such magnitude so efficiently. They committed to continue their support towards achieving sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis.