“Bangladesh can’t bear migration burden indefinitely”

Bangladesh cannot sustain this migration pressure indefinitely, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam. She also called for actionable and predictable international support to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

“The solution lies in Myanmar and urged the international community to move beyond statements of support to concrete assistance,” she made the remarks while addressing a National Policy Dissemination Programme on “Uncertain Return: Rohingya Voices on Repatriation Barriers” at Dhaka University’s Senate Bhaban in the capital on Wednesday.

Shama recalled Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly and the five urgent priorities he placed before the international community.

These included a credible roadmap for sustainable repatriation, an end to violence, justice, accountability and stronger action against transnational crimes.

She also highlighted the formation of a National Strategy Formulation Committee to guide the Rohingyas’ safe and dignified return.

Referring to the department’s research, she said the Rohingyas were not rejecting Myanmar as their home. They were rejecting a return to the conditions that forced them to flee, she added.

She identified recognition and identity, land and property, security, and trust backed by credible guarantees as essential pillars of a credible repatriation roadmap.

“Repatriation is an act of trust,” she said, adding that the Rohingyas were “asking for rights, not charity.”
The state minister warned that rising crime and insecurity affecting host communities in Cox’s Bazar “cannot be allowed to become the new normal.”

Earlier, the research team presented its study, which surveyed 816 Rohingya respondents across 17 camp sites in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.

The researchers also conducted 72 in-depth interviews with stakeholders involved in the repatriation process.

Shama later distributed prizes among winners of an essay competition organised by the Department of Criminology.

The university’s Department of Criminology and Criminology Research Forum organised the programme, with Shama attending as chief guest.