DHAKA: Bangladesh National Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury urged the United Nations (UN) and other international communities to play an effective role for peaceful and permanent solution of the Rohingya crisis.
Dr Shirin, also Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s (CPA) executive committee, was addressing at a briefing on ‘Rohingya crisis and Bangladesh’s humanitarian assistance’ at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) chamber of United Nations (UN), as a special guest on Monday (October 16).
ECOSOC is the United Nations' central platform for reflection, debate, and innovative thinking on sustainable development.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock arranged the briefing for the UN member countries.
In the keynote speech, Mark Lowcock shared the experience of his recent visit to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh.
He thanked Bangladesh for sheltering the homeless Rohingyas who were forcefully driven out from Myanmar.
He acknowledged of getting the aids offered by the international quarters for the Rohingyas.
Citing the upcoming Geneva Pledging Conference which will be held on October 23, Lowcock called upon the international quarters for further cooperation in a bid to execute the plans to end the disputed Rohingya problem.
In her speech, Shirin Sharmin cited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s broad efforts for the refugees: “Our premier has exhibited unique courage and patience by sheltering the Rohingyas on humanitarian ground. She has opened the entrances to the helpless Rohingyas.”
“We want urgent solution of the problem so that the Rohingya population can back to their homes safely and with due honor, and can get meaningful lives with peaceful coexistence with their neighbors”, said Shirin Sharmin.
Stressing that the crisis rooted in Myanmar and its solution lies there too, she said, “Political amiability can solve the problem, for obvious”.
Representatives of EU, UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF, WHO, Red Cross and Red Crescent apart from Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United States, South Korea, Switzerland, Myanmar and Bangladesh spoke the briefing.
Later, she sat in a meeting with Former UN Secretary General and Advisory Committee on Rakhine State Chairman Kofi Annan.
Kofi Annan lauded Bangladesh’s contribution to reduce miseries of the lakhs of displaced Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.
BDST: 1425 HRS, OCT 17, 2017
SI/SMS
