BNP rejects Hasina's 'safe zone' solution to Rohingya crisis

The BNP has swatted away Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's proposal to build 'safe zones' for Rohingyas in Myanmar under United Nations supervision.

The party's senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain came up at a discussion on Sunday with its stance on the proposal presented at the UN General Assembly.

"We are concerned that the prime minister spoke about 'safe zones' at the UN but did not clear the matter," BNP National Standing Committee Member Mosharraf said.

"It will be harmful and dangerous for both Bangladesh and the Rohingyas. We firmly reject this concept of 'safe zones'," he said.

He termed the idea of 'safe zones' 'conspiratorial' and said his party did not want to hear anything about it anymore.

The BNP leader also placed a four-point proposal of his party to solve the crisis.

The BNP proposals include:

>> Forming a 'national unity' to resolve the crisis. 

>> Recognising the Rohingyas as refugees.

>> Creating diplomatic pressure on Myanmar to repatriate the Rohingyas.

>> Finding a solution to the crisis in light of 'Repatriation Agreement' with Myanmar signed during its tenure.

Diplomats from the UK, US, Canada, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Maldives, European Union, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands were present at the discussion in Dhaka titled 'Genocide in Myanmar and Role of Bangladesh'.

Former ambassador Serajul Islam read out the main article while BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir delivered the welcome speech at the discussion.

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, another member of the BNP Standing Committee, criticised the prime minister for proposing 'safe zones' in Myanmar.

"We know that 'safe zones' didn't work in Bosnia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka and Iraq," he said.

He also criticised Hasina for proposing the implementation of the Kofi Annan Commission report on the Rohingyas.

"I doubt whether Bangladesh's foreign ministry briefed the prime minister on the Kofi Annan report. If it did so, the prime minister might not have mentioned it in her proposal, because the word 'Rohingya' is not mentioned in it," the BNP leader said.