BNP’s Gayeshwar warns of dangers over permanently sheltering Rohingyas

The BNP’s policymaking panel member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy has warned that the Rohingyas will pose danger for Bangladesh if the refugee crisis is not resolved now.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 20 Sept 2017, 08:51 PM
Updated : 20 Sept 2017, 09:58 PM

He also says those, who are arming Myanmar to stifle the Rohingyas, will eventually provide the refugees with weapons for use against Bangladesh if it fails to send them back.

"We must find a permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis, which is repatriation to their homeland. Otherwise, the issue will be a permanent one for Bangladesh and affect the country's politics," he said.

The BNP’s National Standing Committee member was speaking at a discussion at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday on 'The Role of Government and International Agencies, and Leaders in Resolving Rohingya Crisis'.

Bangladesh has sheltered the refugees on humanitarian grounds, but been saying repeatedly that it is a 'huge burden'.

All the sides in Bangladesh agree that Myanmar should take back the Rohingyas who have fled decades of violent persecution in Rakhine State.

The number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh has doubled by over 400,000 since Myanmar launched a crackdown against the ethnic minority in response to insurgent attacks on security forces on Aug 25 this year.

Gayeshwar thinks other countries have involvement behind the Rohingya crisis, but woukd not named any.

"The greater forces, which are backing Myanmar with arms, are also forcing the Rohingyas into Bangladesh. And the crisis will not end here," the BNP leader said.

"I believe those forces will provide the Rohingyas with arms like they are providing Myanmar from behind the scenes now."

"And there will be a deadly war – not against Myanmar. We will face the danger. Because it is the policy of the arms traders to create rifts across the world," he added.

"Many international terrorist groups or many countries would try to destabilise Bangladesh forever to make us weak through the Rohingyas," he warned.

Gayeshwar criticised the government for its foreign policy of 'Friendship to All'.

"Our government has failed in one area of its foreign policy, which is to tell everyone: 'I am with you'. But you get caught at some point," he said. 

He said India is in a race the US and China for control over the Bay of Bengal, and wondered if any of the countries was behind the Rohingya crisis.

"These three powers cannot stand each other. The government had given its word to many countries to let them use Bay of Bengal, but finally it cannot allow anyone here. We should think whether the failure to fulfil the promises has given rise to the Rohingya crisis," he said.

The BNP leader also slated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"She went to Donald Trump and said there was no need for US help. It means she is not getting space anywhere. She has tried to build good relations with China. Bangladesh's relations with Russia go a long way back.

"Russia has been awarded a big project (nuclear power project) here. Just think - if Russia stands by China today, and China plays a role in support of Myanmar from behind the scenes, then how much scramble is there for this land of ours."

"We saw that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Myanmar and publicly declared support for that country. It means no one, including India, China and Russia, is playing a positive role over the Rohingya issue," he added.   

The BNP leader called for a 'national unity' to send the Rohingyas back to Myanmar.