Bangladesh has urged the international community to take immediate action on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. The appeal came on Monday during a meeting in Dhaka between Bangladeshi Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Kelley E. Currie, the United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar.
A ministry statement released after the discussions revealed the full scale of the displacement. Ahmed told the UN official that the actual number of Rohingya taking refuge in the country has surpassed 1.5 million.
The vast majority of these displaced people live in camps in the southeastern coastal district of Cox’s Bazar. They fled to Bangladesh after a brutal military crackdown by Myanmar security forces that began in August 2017.
Hosting this massive refugee population for years has placed a heavy strain on the national economy. Ahmed stressed the urgent need for concerted efforts to secure the safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya to their home country.
The minister also called on global actors to act responsibly ahead of an expected International Court of Justice ruling. The court is scheduled to deliver its decision on November 19 on the ongoing genocide case concerning Myanmar and the Rohingya minority.
Officials discussed the necessity of coordinated diplomatic pressure on Myanmar. Ahmed pointed to the role of influential international partners, specifically naming China, India, the United States, and the European Union.
Currie acknowledged the history of severe human rights violations directed against the community. She stated that the United Nations and its international partners are working to create a conducive environment for repatriation.
International efforts are also focused on ensuring the Rohingya are granted full citizenship and fundamental rights upon their return to Myanmar.
