Myanmar should begin repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas: PM Hasina

Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated her call for Myanmar to begin the repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas, saying the country must return their nationals from Bangladesh.

“The repatriation process should be started. How long will we bear the burden? ... The sooner the Rohingyas are repatriated, the better it will be for all,” she said.

The prime minister made the remarks as French Ambassador Marie-Annick Bourdin paid a farewell call on her at the official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka.

After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

Sheikh Hasina called for international organisations and UN agencies to work inside Myanmar for the rehabilitation of the displaced Rohingyas including the construction of houses for them.

Referring to the influx of Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, Sheikh Hasina said, “As many as 40,000 Rohingya babies have so far been born in Rohingya camps.”

In reply, the French ambassador said her country would continue to support Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue. “We started supporting Bangladesh on the issue right from the beginning and it will continue,” she said.

Bourdin, however, added that the situation in Myanmar was not conducive for the return of Rohingyas.

The ambassador said the role France is playing in the climate change issue will continue.

While talking about climate change issue, the premier said the Paris Agreement should be implemented.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is contributing less to the case of carbon emission, but the country is the worst sufferers in the event of climate change.

“Coastal districts of the country will be affected for the climate change,” she said.

The premier mentioned that the government has set up a climate change resilience trust fund to combat climate change.

“We will erect a green belt in the coastal areas to fight climate change,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina congratulated the outgoing ambassador for completing her successful tenure in Bangladesh and appreciated her commendable efforts and hard work to further strengthen and broaden bilateral relations between the two countries.