World agrees with Bangladesh on help for Rohingya refugees: Hasina

The international community has agreed with Bangladesh's stance over helping Rohingya refugees fleeing a fierce army crackdown in Myanmar, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.

She briefed the media after attending the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday.

"It was very important for us to highlight the Rohingya crisis in front of the international community at the assembly and ensure the help of the people across the world," she said. 

Hasina raised the Rohingya issue in her address to the UNGA and other meetings, including that of the OIC Contact Group during the assembly.

On being asked about China and India's stance over the issue, the prime minister said, "I don't consider much what China or India says, because every country has its own opinion."

Referring to visits by Dhaka-based foreign diplomats to the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, she said, "When they saw the Rohingyas in Bangladesh, they showed sympathy. We've seen it. India, China, all have come forward and sent relief. They are providing all sorts of assistance."

China has welcomed Myanmar's efforts to alleviate the situation in Rakhine State while India's reaction is mixed, with External Affairs Minister Sushama Swaraj throwing her support behind Hasina, but officials reportedly said India may supply arms to Myanmar.

In her speech at the UNGA on Thursday, Hasina proposed building 'safe zones' in Myanmar under UN supervision to save the Rohingyas and demanded immediate steps to stop violence in Rakhine. 

The US, UN and many other countries and organisations have expressed concern over the situation in Rakhine and asked Myanmar to stop the army crackdown against the Rohingyas when the General Assembly was under way.

Hasina said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has praised Bangladesh for standing by the Rohingya refugees' side.

He assured Bangladesh of all sorts of cooperation in solving the issue, Hasina said.  

The prime minister reiterated her government's will to help the Rohingya refugees until the solution to the crisis.

"We will eat once a day and share another meal if necessary," she said.

Hasina rejected the BNP's demand for a 'national unity' to solve the Rohingya issue when a journalist drew her attention to the matter.

The prime minister noted that she was turned away from the door of Khaleda Zia's office when she went to sympathise the BNP chairperson after she lost her younger son Arafat Rahman Coco in 2015 amid a deadly blockade by the party.

She also brought up the allegation that BNP founder Ziaur Rahman was involved in the assassination of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"Please never raise the issue again before me. Please don't tell me to sit with a terrorist, militant party like the BNP to find a solution. This is unacceptable to me," she said.

Bringing allegations of killings and corruption against the party, she asked, "Why have you brought up the BNP issue? Why should I sit with them and save them?"

Asked whether the BNP and other opposition parties will be with the government over the Rohingya issue, the prime minister said, "I don't do politics on what the opposition says."

She also said the work to resume direct Dhaka-New York flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines has begun.

She blamed the BNP government for the poor state of flag carrier.

"The BNP doomed Biman when it was in power. We made much progress following the policy of the International Civil Aviation Authority after we came to power," she said.   

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN Masud Bin Momen, among others, were present at the briefing.

Hasina went to New York last Sunday to attend the UNGA. She is scheduled to return home on Oct 2 after spending time with the family of her son Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy in the US.