EU parliamentary delegation to visit Bangladesh to take stock of Rohingya situation

A 'high-powered' European parliamentary delegation is coming to Bangladesh in the second week of February to see for themselves the plight of the Rohingya refugees, the head of the EU delegation in Dhaka says.

Rensje Teerink on Wednesday informed Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali that the delegation would include heads of EU Parliamentary standing committee for Human rights, Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Heads of EU Parliamentary Standing Committees on Human Rights and Trade will also visit Myanmar after Bangladesh visit, she said during a courtesy call on at the minister’s office, the foreign ministry said.

This is her first meeting with the foreign minister since her assuming the office in Dhaka in October.

The ambassador praised the “exemplary role” played by Bangladesh in handling the Rohingya crisis under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina which has also been lauded by the international community.

She also praised Bangladesh for achievement in the women empowerment, poverty alleviation, girls’ education and many other fields of human development.

She intimated that EU is ready to extend all sorts of assistance to Bangladesh regarding Rohingya crisis and their repatriation to Myanmar.

The foreign minister informed that Bangladesh is only dealing the repatriation issue bilaterally with Myanmar and signed three instruments already for repatriation.

He said Bangladesh emphasised on the “safe, sustainable return” of the Rohingya people to their homeland and urged the International Community including EU to retain pressure on Myanmar so that these people are not confined to IDP camps.

He informed that as per the agreements signed with Myanmar, UNHCR and WFP would be gradually engaged in the repatriation and reintegration process which is subject to the permission of Myanmar authority though.

However, the minister put emphasis on that the issue as a whole is a multilateral issue, therefore, requires the sincere involvement of international community including UN in the successful solution to the crisis.