Home ›› 29 Jul 2022 ›› Editorial
Bangladesh’s exemplary handling of the Rohingya refugee crisis has set an example to the world regarding migration management. The systematic violation of the human rights of the Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar’s military junta forced thousands of Rohingya to flee the country. The crisis subsequently, compelled nearly a million of them to live as refugees in Bangladesh. Bangladesh generously opened its doors to these hapless refugees and despite its limited resources has been admirably hosting these people. The generosity, compassion and humanity of Bangladesh’s government and people have been appreciated throughout the world.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Deputy Director General (DDG) for Operations Ugochi Daniels recently praised Bangladesh for playing an exemplary role in migration management and tackling climate change. Daniels visited Bangladesh from July 22 to July 26. Concluding her five-day visit she said, “Bangladesh should be recognized for the important role it is playing by hosting more than 900,000 Rohingya.” In an era when many rich nations have tried to stop the entry of refugees, Bangladesh’s decision to accept refugees in the early days of the crisis is noble indeed.
According to a report published in The Business Post yesterday, Ugochi Daniels visited the world’s largest refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, which hosts more than 900,000 Rohingya refugees. While visiting Rohingya camps, she particularly appreciated the environmentally friendly initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government such as sustainable solid waste management facilities, one of the world’s largest humanitarian solar-powered water supply systems and a cleaner energy provision system. All the projects were designed and implemented by IOM. IOM in Bangladesh provides technical assistance to the government in various areas of migration management to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration. This includes support for improved migration governance, assistance to vulnerable migrants, immigration and border management, migration health, migration data and displacement tracking and humanitarian assistance.
Bangladesh needs unwavering and sustained international support to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the Rohingya refugees and their repatriation. The international community must not put the issue on the backburner amid the pandemic and the war in Europe. The world ought to appreciate that Bangladesh generously hosted the Rohingya refugees for years on end.
Bangladesh’s migration management as stated earlier has earned the country plaudits from different corners of the earth. However, we believe that there should be an end to the refugee crisis and the displaced Rohingyas must be allowed to return to their homeland. As the Rohingya situation becomes more protracted, Bangladesh is starting to face internal tensions as prospects for repatriation become less likely. The large refugee population has imposed significant infrastructural, social, financial and environmental pressures and has raised concerns about land insecurity – a serious issue in a densely populated country.
Since Bangladesh is not responsible in any manner for Rohingya expulsion from Myanmar; since Bangladesh has been very generous in dealing with the Rohingya problems; since not a single Rohingya was ever tortured or undermined in this land; this country, its people and the government should be given due honour for keeping peace in this region and the burden of this huge mass of people should be taken by the rich countries of the world if they fail to compel the Myanmar regime to take their citizens and nationals back home.
There are different international tools and instruments other than war or military intervention, such as economic embargo, discontinuation of diplomatic ties, etc. None has yet been imposed by a single country so far on the Myanmar authorities. It must be taken into account that Myanmar has so far not taken a single Rohingya refugee back to their homeland. All of these demonstrate the ill motives of the Myanmar regime surrounding the Rohingya issue. The international community must not be hesitant to solve what is rated the world’s worst refugee crisis having multidimensional implications.
