FM Mahmood Ali briefs diplomats on planned Rohingya repatriation

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali is briefing Dhaka-based diplomats at state guesthouse Padma on Sunday on the Rohingya issue ahead of the planned repatriation.

Over 655,500 Muslim Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh after the Myanmar military cracked down in the northern part of Rakhine in response to militant attacks on security forces on Aug 25.

The United Nations described the operation as ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, which Myanmar denies.

The briefing comes ahead of the planned start of the repatriation process on Jan 23 following an agreement signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar on Nov 23.

A Rohingya refugee child looks at the vill from a hill at Unchiparang refugee camp, near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Jan 11, 2018. Reuters

Myanmar said they were making final preparations to take back the first batch, despite growing doubts about the plan among refugees and in the United Nations.

They will start receiving Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh at two reception centres and the temporary camp near Maungtaw starting on Tuesday and continuing over the next two years, under the agreement two countries signed this week.

The World Bank said the Rohingya refugee crisis is growing quickly and support is needed to help cope with the influx.

Ali will brief diplomats in two shifts with the second briefing for OIC countries diplomats beginning at 5.30pm. The foreign ministry said a statement would be issued after the briefing.