Despite our country's continuous efforts in the last few years to safely send the Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, it is unfortunate to see there being little progress made in resolving the crisis at hand.
The Rohingya community being subjected to ethnic and religious persecution in their own country is deplorable in and of itself. However, the lack of active support from the international community -- in not only speeding up the repatriation of the refugees, but also holding Myanmar accountable for the atrocities committed -- is a grave humanitarian injustice.
To that end, it is now imperative that we continue to actively and persistently seek help from the international community in ensuring that the 1.1 million displaced Rohingya refugees are returned to their homes, as soon as possible. As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated in her UNESCAP speech on Monday, the Rohingya crisis now poses a serious threat to the security of the nation.
Despite our best efforts, there remains a lack of proper education, nutrition, clean water, and safety. Thus, the Rohingya refugees -- especially the young men -- are susceptible to committing acts of crime. This could potentially cause unrest in the nation, especially at a time when we are recovering from the economic, social, and political implications of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
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According to experts, failing to resolve this issue promptly will undoubtedly lead to a larger humanitarian crisis that will cause ripples across the region and the entirety of the globe. With that in mind, we must be persistent in our engagement with the international community, and also review our foreign and defense policies in order to find an effective and sustainable solution.
In order to make the international community listen, Bangladesh will have to be steadfast and unrelenting in highlighting the possible global repercussions of this crisis, should we fail to take prompt action.
The world has been placid regarding this crisis for too long, but it is now time for them to step up.