Bangladesh
Rohingya Repatriation | Hasina France Visit The world needs to work meticulously on Rohingya repatriation: PM Hasina
Dhaka, November 12: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon world leaders to ensure the early repatriation of Rohingya people to their homeland Myanmar to avoid security risks in Bangladesh and the world.
"The world must work hard to ensure that these [Rohingya] people can return to Myanmar quickly, otherwise, the security risks created by the crisis will not be limited to our borders. We are already seeing signs of that."
The Prime Minister made the call while addressing the fourth edition of the Paris Peace Forum, 2021, Minding the Gap: Improving Global Governance After Covid-19, on Thursday (November 11) afternoon.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has helped to avoid a major regional crisis by providing temporary shelter to the Rohingyas who were forcibly displaced by Myanmar in August 2017. More than a million of them are facing an uncertain future.
Noting that the Indo-Pacific region must be an area of peace and prosperity for all, Sheikh Hasina said, "Our vision for the region is to make it free, open, peaceful, secure and inclusive."
Noting that key leaders in the region should learn from the past and act responsibly in the present to ensure a sustainable future, she said, "Bangladesh wants to involve all our partners in this on the basis of mutual respect and understanding."
The Prime Minister said, “Bangladesh ended the armed conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in 1997 through a historic peace agreement. We have committed to a 'Zero Tolerance' policy against all forms of terrorism. We are investing at the community level to control its spread."
She said Bangladesh has been at the top of the list of countries contributing troops and police to UN peacekeeping operations for many years and has maintained that position by supporting the Palestinians in the Middle East peace process.
"For 22 years, advocating for a culture of peace has been our counter-narrative against war," she said. "I urge you to use the resources used in the global arms race for sustainable development."
The Prime Minister said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the deep-rooted vulnerabilities of the international health and financial system. This has again bridged the gap between rich and poor. We must remember and close that gap."
