Myanmar delegation assures Rohingyas of safe repatriation

A delegation from Myanmar on Thursday assured displaced Rohingyas of solving all possible difficulties they might face once they are taken back home, Director General of the Myanmar Wing of the foreign ministry Md Mainul Kabir has said.

"Regional Director of Myanmar's Ministry of Social Affairs Aung Myew has assured to work sincerely to solve all problems of the Rohingyas," added Mainul, as the 14-member delegation led by Aung Myew left Cox's Bazar for Myanmar wrapping up a one-day visit on Thursday after holding a meeting at Teknaf's Rohingya camp-26.

"Fourteen representatives from Myanmar held lengthy discussions with the Rohingyas. They informed Rohingyas about the initiatives taken for them in Myanmar. The Rohingyas asked them various questions, and the representatives answered those," said Mainul Kabir.

"Safe repatriation of Rohingyas has been the main objective of the Bangladesh government since the beginning. Repatriation is the only permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis, and therefore, from the beginning, Bangladesh has been working with the international community for voluntary repatriation [of Rohingyas]," he added.

Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, refugee relief and repatriation commissioner in Cox's Bazar, said, "Out of the 1,176 selected Rohingyas, they [delegation] held talks with 280 family heads – men and women. As Myanmar's commitment to the Rohingyas has been informed in the talks, the Rohingyas placed their demands as well. A possibility of repatriation is created in this".

Earlier in the morning, the Myanmar delegation arrived in Teknaf's Jaliapara on a cargo trawler at the Teknaf-Myanmar transit jetty, to hold talks with a batch of Rohingyas before a possible repatriation. The delegation was greeted by Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Shamsud Douza upon arrival.

On 5 May, 20 Rohingyas accompanied by seven Bangladeshi government officials visited Myanmar's Maungdaw town in the Rakhine state to see the facilities prepared ahead of the first batch of repatriation.

Additionally, a 22-member delegation from Myanmar visited Teknaf on 15 May to talk with Rohingyas on the repatriation issue and returned after verifying information of 480 Rohingyas.

Nearly 12 lakh Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh in 2017 in the face of persecution by the Myanmar army are sheltered in 33 camps of Ukhia, Teknaf and Bhasanchar.