Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Saturday underlined the need for a national consensus to address the Rohingya crisis, which has been further complicated by the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine State.
鈥榃e achieved far less than we could have because there was no national consensus on Rohingya policy,鈥� he said, urging political parties to unify on the issue.
He was addressing a national dialogue on Rohingya policy, organised by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance of North South University at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.
Touhid laid emphasis on importance of developing a minimum level of deterrence鈥攏ot for war, but to demonstrate Bangladesh鈥檚 strength and engage in multilateral negotiations.
鈥楳yanmar must come to the negotiation. If they are unwilling, they need to understand there will be consequences,鈥� he said.
Touhid reiterated that the displaced Rohingyas had to return to Myanmar with guaranteed rights and safety to ensure a sustainable resolution to the crisis.
Touhid described the Rohingya crisis as Bangladesh鈥檚 most pressing international issue, worsening with time. He stressed the importance of maintaining international support in handling the situation.
Since July, over 50,000 more Myanmar nationals, including Rohingyas and other ethnic groups, have fled to Bangladesh amid fierce clashes between Myanmar鈥檚 junta forces and the Arakan Army, which now controls approximately 80 per cent of Rakhine State.
Touhid said that while Bangladesh could not directly engage non-state actors like the AA, the Rohingya crisis could not be resolved without considering the AA鈥檚 control over Rakhine State.
He also advocated for providing Rohingya children with education up to class X and imparting skills training to prepare them for eventual repatriation.
High representative of the chief adviser for Rohingya and priority affairs Khalilur Rahman warned that the global community鈥檚 attention to the Rohingya issue was waning.
He, however, noted that the current government was striving to rekindle international focus through a UN Conference on Rohingya planned for early next year.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury echoed the call for a comprehensive Rohingya policy and a national consensus.
He also emphasised enhancing border security and trade relations with Myanmar, stating, 鈥楢 weak country cannot negotiate effectively鈥�.
He advocated for improved race relations in Rakhine State, particularly between the Rohingyas and the Rakhine ethnic communities.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader AHM Mamidur Rahman Azad highlighted the severe security concerns in south-eastern Bangladesh due to the Rohingya presence in Cox鈥檚 Bazar.
He urged better healthcare and education facilities for the displaced population.
SIPG director professor SK Tawfique M Haque noted that Bangladesh had been providing extensive humanitarian support to the Rohingyas despite not officially recognising them as refugees.
He suggested that the government considered granting them refugee status, mentioning the concept of a 鈥榮afe zone鈥� or 鈥榟umanitarian corridor鈥�, proposed by the chief adviser, as a potential measure to prevent further influxes from Myanmar.
