The return of the approximately one million Rohingya refugees to their homeland is a priority for the Bangladeshi government, although this process is being delayed due to the Myanmar government's lack of political will, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A. K. Abdul Momen told Sputnik in an exclusive interview
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th October, 2020) The return of the approximately one million Rohingya refugees to their homeland is a priority for the Bangladeshi government, although this process is being delayed due to the Myanmar government's lack of political will, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A. K. Abdul Momen told Sputnik in an exclusive interview.
"Our overarching priority is the repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland. Though more than three years have passed, not a single Rohingya could be repatriated. This is precisely because of the lack of political will and conducive environment in the Rakhine State," Momen said.
Between August 2017 and July 2019, more than 742,000 Rohingya refugees arrived in Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Rakhine State, according to figures provided by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Clashes between government forces and the Arakan Army, armed rebels who operate in Rakhine, are continuing to rage on, and Momen said that the ongoing violence is hindering the return of Rohingya refugees.
"The recent clash between Arakan Army and Myanmar authority has made the situation more complex," the Bangladeshi foreign minister said.
During a pre-recorded speech to the recent United Nations General Assembly, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the international community needed to do more to aid the repatriation of Rohingya refugees, and Momen echoed these sentiments.
"Despite our continuous efforts, there is no significant development in Myanmar side. Now, the international community should strengthen its efforts and meaningfully engage with Myanmar to get a sustainable solution of the Rohingya crisis," the foreign minister said.
Most of the Rohingya refugees have fled to the southeastern Bangladeshi region of Cox's Bazar. The displaced person camps have seen outbreaks of COVID-19 and fires over recent months.
The International Court of Justice ruled in January that the Myanmar government must do everything in its power to protect the Rohingya people, a Muslim minority, amid claims that the armed forces of Myanmar have committed atrocities against the ethnic group.
