DHAKA: The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has called upon the international community to take urgent action to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

The CPA made the call in a statement unanimously adopted by its 63rd conference during its concluding session at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka on Tuesday (November 07).

The CPA called upon Myanmar to stop the atrocities on Rohingyas and ensure safe return of the Rohingya refugees who entered Bangladesh following widespread violence in Rakhine State of Myanmar.

It also called upon the Myanmar government to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State immediately, unconditionally, and completely.

The participants of the CPA conference reached the consensus on issuance of the statement as it could not pass any resolution on Rohingya issue.

According to the CPA constitution, there was no chance to make a resolution in this regard as any issue to be enlisted on the agenda must be notified at least 60 days prior to the conference.

The Rohingya issue came much later of the declaration of the conference.  So the CPA could not place a resolution on Rohingya issue due to legal obligation and time constraint.

In the statement, the members of the parliaments of the Commonwealth countries condemned the atrocities committed against Rohingyas in Myanmar which amounts to genocide.

The CPA called upon all commonwealth parliaments and the MPs to condemn the atrocities, oppression and displacement, the statement read.  

The CPA appreciated the efforts of Bangladesh government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the decision of allowing Rohingya refugees.

BDST: 2055 HRS, NOV 07, 2017
EHJ