A day after Foreign Secretaries of India and Bangladesh discussed the Rohingya issue and the security threat arising out of their displacement from Myanmar, the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque said that his country is determined to send back the refugees as the problem has the potential to destabilise the entire region. Haque added that Dhaka was happy with the support from India at the international and humanitarian levels.
"We are happy the way India took a strong step and supported us at the United Nations Human Rights Council and providing us humanitarian aid. India has always been very supportive of Bangladesh during difficult times like in 1971 or subsequently. They are our closest partner. We agreed that the Rohingyas are a huge burden on Bangladesh and it has potential to destabilise the region," Haque said.
Haque also met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday where the security aspect was discussed in detail. India has urged Bangladesh to tighten its border security mechanism to prevent any refugees from entering India.
"It is not only people's movement but it is also a security issue, a border issue, which has the potential to destabilise the region, not just areas in Myanmar and Bangladesh. So far the Government of Bangladesh has been able to contain that. It has not moved into a security area. The Rohingya population continues to remain neutral and they all look forward to go back," he added.
The Bangladesh Government is in talks with Myanmar for the return of nearly 5 lakh refugees who have entered the country in the last few weeks. Dhaka has given a proposal to Myanmar and suggested to form a working group to look at the repatriation of the refugees. "This is not a conflict between Myanmar and Bangladesh but between Myanmar and its own people. We happen to be party to it because they have escaped and come to our country. Bangladesh's position is clear that the problem has been created by Myanmar and the solution has to come from it. We want the refugees to return as soon as possible," Haque said.
Bangladesh FS said he wants the Kofi Annan Commission report to be implemented and the Rohingyas should be given citizenship rights and rehabilitation.