'Steps taken for Rohingya repatriation didn't yield any result'

Various steps including talks with Myanmar for repatriation of displaced Rohingyas from Bangladesh didn't yield any result, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday.

He was talking to journalists following the first meeting of the National Committee relating to Coordination, Management and Law Order of the Displaced Myanmar Nationals at Bangladesh Secretariat.

On December 14 last, the Cabinet Divison constituted the National Committee. The Home Minister is the convener of the committee.

The Home Minister said they held a detailed discussion about the law and order in Rohingya camps, repatriation of Rohingyas, how they pass their days in camps, and how they would be repatriated to Myanmar.

Kamal said, "The main objective of our talks was how to repatriate Rohingyas to their own country as quickly as possible. Both the Foreign and Home ministries have been trying for their repatriation. The foreign minister has already held talks with China, Japan and Germany. He (foreign minister) is hopeful that the Rohingyas who have been identified by their government would be repatriated soon. The foreign minister also stated it at the meeting."

The Home Minister said a team from the Home Ministry went to Myanmar. They talked to the state councilor and several generals over there. Dozens of decisions were taken there. Joint committees, border control committees etc were constituted, but those didn't yield any result.

Referring to the shifting of Rohingyas to Bhasan Char from Cox's Bazar, he said Rohingyas voluntarily went to Bhasan Char. None was forced to go there. Only 100,000 would be able to go there to live in.

In this regard, he said the curious people have started visiting Bhasan Char from Noakhali. "But, they should refrain from going to Bhasan Char. None should go to Bhasan Char and create fresh problems. Today's meeting took this decision."

The minister said some 180 NGOs are working in Cox's Bazar. Of those, 22 have started working at Bhasan Char. The NGO Bureau has banned several NGOs as they didn't have registration. They won't be allowed to work there.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nesa Indira, Prime Minister's principal secretary Ahmed Kaikaus, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Waqar-uz-Zaman, Inspector General of Police and other members of the committee were present at the meeting.