As part of a trilateral process, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and China are still looking for a suitable time to begin repatriating Rohingyas.
"Work is underway to initiate the repatriation of Rohingyas under a trilateral initiative of Bangladesh-Myanmar-China, brokered by China. We are finding a suitable and fixed date convenient for all concerned to start the repatriation,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said at the weekly media briefing on Thursday.
The process will commence as soon as possible, she said.
The comment came despite international communities' call to halt the process as the situation in the Rakhine State is not conducive to Rohingya return.
China is a party to the tripartite agreement with Bangladesh and Myanmar for sending Rohingyas back to their homeland in the Rakhine State from where they fled “ethnic cleansing”, mostly after the August 2017 military crackdown.
With no guarantee of citizenship and safety in the Rakhine State, none of the Rohingyas returned to Myanmar.
There had been efforts to send them from a list of 1,176 verified Rohingya individuals. Some of them visited Rakhine State to see the conditions. On return, they said they would not return.
The UN agencies and some Western countries also maintained that the situation was not conducive for Rohingyas to return to Myanmar.
Chinese Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Deng Xijun visited Dhaka from July 30 to Tuesday and had meetings with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on the Rohingya issue.
There had been no formal announcement of the visit.
Replying to a question, the foreign ministry spokesperson said various aspects of bilateral relations between Bangladesh, China and issues related to voluntary, safe, and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas were discussed during the meetings.
The Chinese Special Envoy, Deng Xijun, earlier visited Bangladesh on April 6 and discussed the repatriation issue.
