Myanmar refugees big burden on Bangladesh: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said world leaders must pressure Myanmar into taking back its nationals who have fled to Bangladesh.

Hasina made the comment during a courtesy call by Indonesian Ambassador Rina Prihtyasmiarsi Soemarno at her office on Tuesday.

Around 125,000 refugees from Myanmar's Rakhine State have crossed the border into Bangladesh to escape a violent 'clearance operation' by security forces, according to UN workers.

Hasina said the huge influx is a "big burden" on Bangladesh because it already hosts hundreds of thousands of Myanmar refugees in its southeast districts, according to her Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim.

The government in the past claimed that Myanmar refugees are prone to criminal and extremist activities and that they make attempts to register as voters using fake documents.

"Our stance is very clear. Our land will not be used for planning terror on other countries," Hasina told Ambassador Soemarno.

Bangladesh has made repeated calls to Myanmar to take back its nationals. It now wants the international community to join its effort.

The Myanmar army began its latest operation in the Rohingya Muslim-majority Rakhine State in retaliation to coordinated terror attacks on police and army posts on Aug 25.

Hundreds have been killed in the violent counterassault with many bodies being found in Bangladesh areas bordering Myanmar.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has arrived in Dhaka amid the crisis after meeting Myanmar's de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also headed to Myanmar to pressure its government into ending violence in Rakhine.

The Maldives announced that it was severing trade ties with Myanmar in protest against its actions in Rakhine.

*Correction in second paragraph after a recheck with the Bangla report, from which the English story was done. Please click here to read the Bangla story.