Bangladesh is working on a proposal to create a “safe zone” in Myanmar’s Rakhine sate in order to ensure a peaceful repatriation of the Rohingyas.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen made the statement while talking to reporters at a seminar on the human rights condition of Bangladesh held at a hotel in Dhaka on Sunday.
Minister Momen said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had made the proposal of creating a safe zone at the beginning of the repatriation talks but later it got dropped from the arrangements.
“Now we are putting the proposal forward again in a fresh manner.”
He said: “A safe zone will be created in Rakhine state where neighbours like India, China and other Asean countries will supervise the well-being of the Rohingyas.”
“We are proposing it because Myanmar has faith in these countries,” added.If Rohingyas went back to Myanmar, then these countries will be able to look after their safety, he said.
When asked whether the signed agreement on repatriation will be amended or not, Momen refused to comment on the matter.
On issue of Bangladesh’s human rights condition, he said: “The ultimate example of human rights [in Bangladesh] is the sheltering of Rohingyas. If we have not sheltered them, then hundreds of thousands Rohingyas would have been died. Now it is for everyone’s best interest that they return to their country as soon as possible.”
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The minister also said: “We are committed to protect human rights. The elevated growth our country has been resulted from the establishment of good governance. The government has successfully established food, clothes, housing and other necessities to the people of Bangladesh.”
Bangladesh is now home to around one million Rohingyas, who fled from Myanmar. Around 800,000 of them entered Bangladesh since August 2017, following persecution by the Myanmar’s military force.
