Seeking a genuine solution to the Rohingya crisis, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Wednesday warned that rising crime and insecurity affecting Cox’s Bazar host communities “cannot be allowed to become the new normal.”
She said the solution lies in Myanmar and that Bangladesh cannot sustain the crisis indefinitely.
The state minister urged the international community to move from statements of support to actionable and predictable assistance.
She addressed the National Policy Dissemination Program on “Uncertain Return: Rohingya Voices on Repatriation Barriers,” organized by the Department of Criminology and the Criminology Research Forum of the University of Dhaka, as chief guest at the Senate Bhaban, University of Dhaka.
In her speech as the chief guest, the state minister recalled the address of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the 81st UNGA and highlighted the five urgent priorities he set before the international community: from a credible roadmap for sustainable repatriation to an end to violence, justice, accountability and stronger action against transnational crimes.
She noted the formation of a National Strategy Formulation Committee to guide the Rohingyas’ safe and dignified return.
Referring to the study conducted by the Department of Criminology on the envisaged return of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMNs), she mentioned that the Rohingyas are not rejecting Myanmar as their home.
They are rejecting a return to the conditions that forced them to flee.
She identified recognition and identity, land and property, security, and trust with credible guarantees as the pillars of a credible roadmap, adding that “repatriation is an act of trust” and that the Rohingyas are “asking for rights, not charity.”
Earlier, the research team introduced the research, which had surveyed 816 Rohingya respondents across 17 camp sites in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.
They had also conducted 72 in-depth interviews with stakeholders involved in the repatriation process.
The state minister also distributed prizes among winners of an "Essay Competition" organized by the Department of Criminology.