Bangladesh considers voluntary repatriation of Myanmar refugees back to their homes in the Rakhine state of Myanmar as the only durable solution to the protracted refugee situation in the country.
This was strongly reiterated by M Shameem Ahsan, the newly appointed ambassador and permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Offices in Geneva and Vienna.
He made the comment while addressing the annual meeting of the UN High Commissioner on Refugees’ (UNHCR) governing Executive Committee in Geneva on Wednesday, according to a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ahsan alluded to the positive momentum generated by the recently concluded Foreign Office Consultations between Bangladesh and Myanmar in Dhaka and stressed the need to further build on the momentum to resume voluntary repatriation of the Myanmar refugees from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed at the Foreign Office Consultations that the Myanmar repatriation process would begin by November.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh’s admission to the United Nations, he expressed the government’s deep appreciation to the UNHCR for their support to refugees from Bangladesh during the Liberation War.
The UN high commissioner for refugees appreciated the decision of Bangladesh government to formulate the national strategy paper on Myanmar refugees and undocumented Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon addressed the executive committee as special guest.
