Bangladesh, Myanmar understand ‘importance’ of Rohingya repatriation

Myanmar’s National Security Adviser U Thaung Tun has agreed with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on the “importance” of starting the bilateral discussion on repatriation of Myanmar residents from Bangladesh, the foreign ministry said.

Tun is currently visiting Dhaka.

During a meeting at the foreign ministry on Monday, Ali recalled how the two countries engaged in the past to repatriate Myanmar refugees back to Rakhine.

Rohingya refugees who fled sectarian violence and took shelter in Bangladesh for decades remained a thorny issue in relations between the two countries. Myanmar denied their nationality, and they do not use the word Rohingya that identify the ethnic minority group.

However, they repatriated few hundred in the early 90s when Ali, a former diplomat, was an official at the foreign ministry.

During the meeting, the National Security Adviser expressed desire of the Myanmar government to “further” develop bilateral relations with Bangladesh.

He expressed the interest of Myanmar to address the differences between the two neighbours through discussion.

He put emphasis on the need for enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the security sector and expressed happiness on recently held meetings among defence and border forces, the foreign ministry said.

He said that economic development could help reduce tension among the two communities in Rakhine and contribute to the resolution of the problem.

The Foreign Minister reiterated Bangladesh’s desire for developing a relationship of “trust and mutual benefit” with the neighbour and stressed on the need for engaging “in frank discussion."

He asserted that Bangladesh maintains “zero tolerance to any action targeting the neighbours by non-state actors and never allows her territory to be used for any activity inimical to the interest of Myanmar”.

He also highlighted some aspects of sub-regional cooperation in South Asia and viewed that Bangladesh and Myanmar could derive immense benefit from such cooperation regionally and under BIMSTEC.

He reiterated Bangladesh’s willingness to deepen cooperation in different sectors and expected a positive response from Myanmar to Bangladesh’s proposals on energy and transport connectivity.

Both of them appreciated the provision of humanitarian support like Cyclone shelters and Ambulances that Bangladesh has offered for the people of Rakhine State from out of pledged assistance by the Bangladesh Prime Minister.

They found merit in Solar-Home System for households in remote/off-grid areas. Bangladesh offered to install some SHSs in Rakhine.

The National Security Adviser is scheduled to meet the Minister for Home Affairs Md. Asaduzzaman and pay a courtesy call on the Prime Minister before leaving Dhaka on July 4.

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and Bangladesh Ambassador to Myanmar Sufiur Rahman were present at the meeting.