Dhaka for info sharing on Rakhine situation

After failing to start repatriation of Rohingya refugees, Bangladesh has written to Myanmar seeking information about the situation in Northern Rakhine state.

"We have told them that the repatriation could not be started as Rohingya are not willing to go back now as they feel that conducive environment has not been created yet," a senior official of the foreign ministry told the FE on Thursday, requesting anonymity.

"We've also requested Myanmar to share information about the situation of Northern Rakhine so that the stakeholders concerned are adequately convinced that a conducive environment has been created there," he added.

Both Myanmar and Bangladesh were set to start Rohingya repatriation on November 15, but due to the unwillingness of Rohingya, the move failed.

Not a single Rohingya, listed to be repatriated, showed their willingness to go back.

This was revealed in the "voluntariness assessment report" prepared by the UNHCR, officials said.

According to the plan 2261 were scheduled to be repatriated from November 15 to November 30.

"We had taken all preparations but all went in vain as none of them showed willingness to go," the official said.

When asked why the Bangladesh government announced the date of repatriation without having the consent of the listed Rohingya, the official said that after meeting Rohingya in Cox's Bazar camps, the Myanmar delegation informed them that Rohingya would be willing to go.

People with knowledge of the matter said Bangladesh is waiting for Myanmar's response to a Japanese proposal to let a delegation of Rohingya refugee leaders visit the places in Northern Rakhine where they would be repatriated.

This delegation will also include representatives from the Bangladesh government and international humanitarian agencies.

Foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh has, in principle, agreed to the Japanese proposal.

Japan is supposed to discuss the proposal with Myanmar and if they agree, the visit will take place soon.

"We believe that such a visit would help remove the fear from the minds of the Rohingya refugees", the foreign minister said last week.

Nearly 0.8 million Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh from their native places in Myanmar in the face of brutal crackdown by the Myanmar army since August 25, 2017.

The world community and international humanitarian agencies who have been providing aid to these refugees have been vocal against any forced repatriation.

The Bangladesh government has said time and again that none of the refugees would be repatriated against their will.

mirmostafiz@ yahoo.com