Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has said holding perpetrators accountable for Rohingya atrocities and facilitating their return to Myanmar or third-country resettlement are viable answers to the crisis.
He said this during a meeting with the visiting OIC-UNHCR joint delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
At the meeting, the foreign secretary urged the OIC-UNHCR joint delegation to mobilise robust international support for ensuring a sustainable solution to this tragic crisis and the continuation of humanitarian assistance till repatriation is materialised.
The OIC delegation, headed by the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs, Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, the UNHRC delegation, headed by Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR's Representative for the GCC Countries and other development partners are visiting Bangladesh from August 6 to 11 to take stock of the situation of Rohingyas.
The foreign secretary stated that under the prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the government of Bangladesh has provided shelter and protection to the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from their ancestral homeland, Myanmar.
He reiterated Bangladesh's intention towards meaningful engagement of the UN, He reiterated Bangladesh’s intention to usher meaning engagement of the UN, regional bodies and other friendly nations in materialising the return of the Rohingyas to their homeland.
He also appreciated the humanitarian assistance received from the international community.
Masud appreciated the visit of the OIC-UNHCR delegation to the Rohingya Camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf, Cox's Bazar and hoped that the delegation had a firsthand idea of the crisis.
He also hoped that the delegation has also observed the efforts made by the government of Bangladesh with the support of the international community to alleviate the sufferings of the Rohingyas through different programmes.
He also apprised the delegation of the Bhasan Char project which is implemented by the Bangladesh government spending $ 350 million of its own resources.
Recalling the OIC Secretary-General's recent visit to Bangladesh, the foreign secretary commended the OIC Secretary-General for his firm support for the ICJ case filed by Gambia, and his sincere efforts to maintain the focus of the Rohingya issue in different forums of the OIC.
Raising concern over the insufficient funding for the ICJ case filed by Gambia, as well as declining assistance for the humanitarian operation for the FDMNs, Masud urged the OIC as well as the Gulf countries to crank up their assistance for the cause.
During the call on, the OIC Assistant Secretary-General praised the Government and people of Bangladesh for providing shelter, protection and extending necessary assistance to the Rohingyas.
He renewed OIC's commitment to remain constructively engaged in the plight of the Rohingyas. "Repatriation is the final solution to this crisis", he added.
The senior advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR's Representative for the GCC Countries suggested diversifying the funding sources.
Prior to the call, the OIC-UNHCR delegation met with the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 10 August 2023 at the Prime Minister's Office.
During the meeting, the principal secretary highlighted to the visiting delegation the relocation of the Rohingyas from Cox's Bazar to Bhashan Char and sought more contributions to the Joint Response Plan (JRP).
He requested the visiting delegation to organise dedicated programmes for the Rohingyas jointly and called for enhanced diplomatic efforts to keep the issue alive on the global agenda.
The OIC-UNHCR delegation also includes OIC Special Envoy to Myanmar Ambassador Ibrahim Ahdy Khairat, representatives from the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Kuwait's Zakat House and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).
