DHAKA: Bangladesh and Myanmar have signed a deal on repatriation of lakhs of Rohingyas, who entered Bangladesh fleeing the violence in Rakhine state, with high expectation to send the refugees back to their homes in Myanmar.
No fixed deadline of the repatriation process, however, hasn’t been set in the instrument.
The deal was signed between the two neighboring countries following a meeting between Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi at the latter’s office in Myanmar capital Naypyidaw, on Thursday (November 23).
AH Mahmood Ali and Myanmar Minister for State Counsellor's office Kyauw Tint Swe signed the agreement.
Mahmood Ali made the disclosure of signing the 'Arrangement on Return of Displaced Persons from Rakhine State' after they reached a much-sought consensus on the Rohingya repatriation.
Earlier, Mahmood Ali sat in a meeting with Suu Kyi, at 10:00am local time, said the foreign ministry sources here. The meeting lasted for 45 minutes.
Over 622,000 Rohingyas have taken shelter in Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh since the August 25 upsurge in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, to avoid persecution by the military there.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday told a program on the outskirts of Dhaka that the refugees from Myanmar are a burden for her country.
She urged Myanmar to start their repatriation soon.
Myanmar, however, did not meet Bangladesh's full expectation on the repatriation timeframe as it only agrees on starting time but not the ending point, said a Bangladesh diplomat preferring anonymity.
"We've agreed on many things though our expectation is not met fully. It's not possible in any negotiations," said the diplomat.
“Bangladesh wants to end the Rohingya repatriation by one year though Myanmar keeps it as an open-end one without giving any specific timeframe for completion”, he added.
Myanmar wants to start the repatriation within the next two months once the deal is signed, said another official.
Bangladesh, however, sought interference of the international community, including the UN agencies in verification process for the repatriation.
Earlier, both the countries agreed on formation of joint working group at foreign-secretary level to launch the repatriation process.
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, Bangladesh Ambassador to Yangon M Sufiur Rahman and representatives from Home Ministry and Prime Minister's Office also attended a meeting in Naypyidaw earlier on Wednesday (November 22).
BDST: 1427 HRS, NOV 23, 2017
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