Rohingyas are a threat to regional security: Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the international community to come together in resolving the issue of Rohingyas, who were forced to leave their homeland and take shelter in Bangladesh, describing the crisis as a threat to the regional security.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 11 Nov 2019, 09:22 AM
Updated : 11 Nov 2019, 10:19 AM

"The Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh due to the military atrocities are not only a threat to Bangladesh but also to the regional security," Hasina said as she inaugurated the Dhaka Global Dialogue 2019 on Monday.

More than 1.1 million Rohingyas are residing in Bangladesh at present with 700,000 of them coming following the crackdown by the Myanmar army in August 2017.

The prime minister highlighted the issue of Rohingya refugees becoming a regional problem at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.

"I believe the issue should be resolved soon. I urge the international community to take necessary action to resolve it," Hasina said at the Dhaka Global Dialogue.

The prime minister stressed the need for cooperation among the countries in the Asia Pacific region to ensure socioeconomic development, security and peace.

"Poverty is a major problem in the region, but I believe we can overcome it if we work together," she said.

Hasina also highlighted the role of marine resources in the country's economy.

"A number of important maritime routes go through the Indian Ocean providing energy and resources to the bigger economies in Asia," she said.

"Not only Bangladesh but also other 40 developing countries are located around the Indian Ocean, home to 35 percent of the global population. The Bay of Bengal is surrounded by six countries.”

Other countries, such as Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, Malaysia and Singapore are not located by the Bay of Bengal but the ocean plays an important role in their economies too.