Bangladesh pitches for voluntary repatriation of Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees

By bdnews24.com

August 3, 2016

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has stressed “voluntary repatriation” of Myanmar refugees back to their homes in the Rakhine State.

This is the “durable solution” to the protracted refugee situation in Bangladesh, he told the newly appointed Country Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Shinji Kubo.

Kubo met him on Wednesday to present his credentials, the foreign ministry said.

Mahmood Ali told him the senior official that his government highly appreciated the UNHCR’s continued support to Myanmar refugees living in Bangladesh.

“The foreign minister alluded to the positive momentum generated by the recent change in the leadership of Myanmar,” the ministry said in a statement.

He also mentioned the visit of the foreign secretary to Myanmar as a goodwill envoy.

The country representative acknowledged efforts of the government in dealing with a large number of refugees.

Kubo promised that the UNHCR would continue to work with the government of Bangladesh to find a durable solution to the refugee issue.

Bangladesh gives shelter to thousands of Myanmar refugees who have fled sectarian violence in the Rakhine State. 

However, Myanmar authorities are denying them citizenship.