Bangladesh does not agree with Myanmar’s recent statement describing Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh as “Bengalis,” Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaid said on Tuesday.She also said Bangladesh is working to build international pressure on the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army to facilitate the repatriation of Rohingyas.The state minister made the remarks while briefing journalists in Dhaka after meeting Myanmar’s ambassador on Tuesday afternoon.We certainly do not agree with that. They have their own identity, and they will return with that identity, Shama Obaid said.She described the meeting with the Myanmar ambassador as positive and said the ambassador had assured her that he would discuss the issues with his government and take steps to address them quickly.Bangladesh seeks international pressureShama Obaid said Bangladesh provided shelter to the Rohingyas in 2017 on humanitarian and human rights grounds.She said Dhaka has maintained communication with the Myanmar government because it wants to begin the repatriation process.Bangladesh is also seeking greater involvement from the international community, she said.Referring to China’s role, the state minister said Beijing had assured Bangladesh during the prime minister’s recent visit to China that it would exert sufficient pressure on Myanmar to help resolve the Rohingya crisis.‘Not every issue needs a public protest’Responding to a question about why Bangladesh did not formally protest Myanmar’s statement that Rohingya repatriation should be resolved through bilateral discussions rather than international pressure, Shama Obaid said public protests do not necessarily bring solutions.She said Bangladesh has consistently maintained that international pressure must be applied to both the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army.We want to have confidence in the Myanmar government, while also urging the international community to put greater pressure on Myanmar, she said.
সহজ ও দ্রুত খবরের আপডেট পেতে আমাদের অ্যাপটি ইন্সটল করুন।
