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Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has said he will discuss the Rohingya issue with his Myanmar counterpart on the sidelines of the upcoming NAM Summit in the Ugandan capital Kampala.
“Look, we are always trying diplomatically. We are increasing engagement with them (Myanmar). I am going to the NAM Summit. I am scheduled to meet with the foreign minister of Myanmar. We firmly believe that we can resolve this issue diplomatically,” he told reporters at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram on Tuesday.
The foreign minister is scheduled to leave for Uganda on Wednesday night to attend the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland KC will attend the Non-Aligned Movement Heads of State and Government Summit from January 19 to 20 as a special guest.
Leaders from about 120 countries across the world have converged in the Ugandan capital Kampala for the Summit that kicked off initially on Monday.
Leaders from different member states are expected to attend the weeklong summit that seeks to address pressing global issues and foster cooperation among member states.
The government wanted to begin repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar last year, initially with around 1,000 of the refugees, according to the ministry of foreign affairs.
Bangladesh has given a list of over 3,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar and wants to make sure that families are not separated.
The government of Bangladesh has said the drastic reduction of humanitarian assistance for this persecuted population, which is growing with around 30,000 newborns every year in the camps, is compounding the crisis.
Further delay to commence safe, voluntary, and sustainable repatriation and shortage of humanitarian support may put the entire region at risk.
The socio-economic, demographic, and environmental cost of sheltering more than 1.2 million Rohingyas for such a long time is pushing Bangladesh to the limit.
These forcibly displaced people have aspirations and rights to return to their homeland in a safe and sustainable manner, the foreign ministry said.
‘BNP-Jamaat’s evil designs will go in vain’
Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said the BNP-Jamaat alliance has always tried to put the country in trouble but assured that all their evil designs will go in vain.
“We want to take the country forward by deepening our excellent relations with all - in the East and West. Nothing bad will happen to Bangladesh despite the evil designs of the BNP. A cow never dies with the prayers of a vulture,” the joint general secretary of Awami League told reporters after his arrival at Shah Amanat International Airport.
This is his first visit to Chattogram, from where he is elected, after being appointed as the Foreign Minister.
Leaders of Chattogram metropolitan, north and south units of AL jointly welcomed the new foreign minister with flowers outside the airport.
The foreign minister said the national election has attracted international attention and has been accepted by the international community as evidenced by the fact that many election observers came to Bangladesh.
He said observers from the United States of America, NDI, IRI, European Union, SAARC, OIC and Commonwealth countries and other organisations have come to Bangladesh for the election.
“They all expressed their opinion simultaneously and described the election as free and fair. This election saw relatively less violence than other elections. This is the biggest thing,” the foreign minister observed.
Responding to a question, Hasan Mahmud said the country’s foreign friends are interested in Bangladesh’s election and that is why they went to the Election Commission.
“I saw in the newspapers that they are satisfied with the information given by the Election Commission,” he said, adding that a free and fair election was held in Bangladesh in a festive atmosphere with massive participation of the people.
Most of the registered political parties participated in this election, said the foreign minister.
“You know, on election day, it was very cold and foggy. That's why the voter turnout is around 42 per cent. If it wasn't for the fog and cold, more votes would have been cast. BNP has tried to create panic among the people by setting trains on fire in an effort to obstruct and resist this election. But people were not afraid, people spontaneously went to cast their votes,” he added.
Responding to a question, the minister said it is not a big thing to become a minister but to get people's love and respect is the most important thing for a politician.
“We can make the country's image brighter. We can advance the development efforts of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through further improved and closer relations with all the East-West countries,” he added.
Recognising that everyone in his constituency has worked hard, the minister said, "I have tried for the last 15 years to become the MP of the people. I never considered who voted for me or not. As a candidate, I have always been a candidate of Awami League, but I have tried to work as an MP for all people. I want to work as an MP for all people in this new journey.”
