President Abdul Hamid hopes EU will keep Myanmar under pressure on Rohingya issue

The European Union should continue to exert pressure on Myanmar so that it takes back the Rohingya refugees who have escaped to Bangladesh, says President Abdul Hamid.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 17 Oct 2017, 03:15 PM
Updated : 17 Oct 2017, 03:40 PM

He praised the EU for its support during the crisis when Rensje Teerink, its new ambassador, submitted her credentials at Bangabhaban on Tuesday, his Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told bdnews24.com. 

Ambassador Teerink, a Dutch national, also praised Bangladesh for its humanitarian attitude towards the refugees and the measures taken to accommodate them the different camps.

Over half a million Rohingya refugees have fled atrocities in Rakhine State since the army crackdown began on Aug 25. The new arrivals take the number of Rohingya refugees living in Bangladeshi camps close to a million. 

Around 400,000 of the stateless Muslim minorities who fled past violence in Myanmar were already in Bangladesh.  

Earlier, the EU announced the suspension of invitations to Myanmar military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other top military commanders of the country.

The announcement came in response to the army's violent operation against Rohingya Muslims, according to conclusions of a meeting of the European Council of the EU in Luxemburg on Sunday.  

A media release from the EU described the operation as 'disproportionate use of force' carried out by the security forces'.