Japan has asked Myanmar to speed up the construction of houses, schools, and other infrastructure in Rakhine to ensure proper shelters for Rohingyas after their repatriation from Bangladesh.
Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono informed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about this during a meeting at the latter’s official residence, Ganabhaban, confirms the PM's Press Secretary, Ihsanul Karim.
Taro Kono said during his recent visit to Myanmar, he had meetings with Myanmar President Win Myint and State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi, said Ihsanul Karim.
He also asked them to return internally displaced Rohingyas from different parts of Myanmar to their original homes.
The visiting Japanese minister mentioned that both Myanmar president and Suu Kyi informed him they have an MoU with Bangladesh regarding the return of the Rohingyas.
The top Japanese diplomat also said the Myanmar government had another agreement with a UN body for the repatriation of the Rohingyas.
Taro Kono termed both Bangladesh and Myanmar as their comprehensive partners.
He mentioned that Japan will provide $2 million to help the Rohingyas tackle the adverse situation at camps in Bangladesh during the monsoon period.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested Japan to persuade Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas from Bangladesh.
"They must return. Myanmar signed an MoU and agreed to take back Rohingyas, but they haven't taken any action to that end," she said.
Hasina urged Japan to ask Myanmar to send their team to Bangladesh to witness the suffering and plight of the Rohingyas first hand.
She mentioned that more than one million Rohingyas have been living in Bangladesh and that is a huge pressure on the country.
"They also outnumbered our local people, they've taken shelter occupying cultivable lands...local people are also suffering..." said Ihsanul, quoting the PM.
Saying the people of international aid agencies are working here for the Rohingyas, she added that these people can assist Myanmar in the repatriation process there, too.
