Religious leaders should discuss Rohingya issue, says OIC secretary general

Religious leaders from Bangladesh and Myanmar must attend discussions to solve the Rohingya issue, says Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen.

The OIC secretary general stressed that a solution must be found through discussions between Buddhist leaders from Myanmar and Muslim leaders from Bangladesh, in a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her offices on Thursday. Al-Othaimeen, who flew to Dhaka on Wednesday, is currently on his first trip to Bangladesh.

A government crackdown in Myanmar’s border state of Rakhine last year caused nearly 50,000 Rohingyas to cross the border into Bangladesh, according to official statistics. Many other Rohingyas have been in Bangladesh for a lengthy period of time.

Though Bangladesh has repeatedly called for Myanmar to repatriate the refugee Rohingyas, it has yet to do so. The country has also resisted recognising the Muslim minority as Myanmar citizens.

OIC Secretary General Al-Othaimeen arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday for a four day visit.

“The OIC has expressed its gratitude to Bangladesh for taking in the Rohingya refugees,” the prime minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told the media following the meeting between the two leaders.

Buddhist leaders from Myanmar and Muslim leaders from Bangladesh can find a solution to the problem if they sit and discuss, Karim said citing the OIC secretary general.

The prime minister told the OIC chief that almost 400,000 Rohingya refugees live in Bangladesh and that the country has had to bear their burden since 1991, Karim said.

Al-Othaimeen also praised the decision taken by the government to relocate Rohingya refugees from Cox’s Bazar to Noakhali’s Hatia for ‘humanitarian reasons’.

Hasina reiterated her government’s continued plea to the Myanmar government to take back its citizens.

The OIC secretary general condemned militancy and terrorism during the meeting and the prime minister outlined the firm stance taken by her administration in fighting them, the press secretary said.

“The prime minister also mentioned that some of Bangladesh’s political parties are sponsoring terrorism,” Karim added.