GENEVA, Feb 16 (NNN-BSS) – State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar
Alam has sought support of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for creating a conducive situation in Myanmar for safe and dignified repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya people.
“By opening our borders to the persecuted Rohingyas, Bangladesh has not
only saved lives but also stabilized the entire region,” he said while
briefing OIC ambassadors and delegates about the evolving situation with the crisis in Geneva on Thursday.
“The international community has a shared responsibility to help restore
the Rohingyas’ fundamental rights and freedoms, including their right to
return to Myanmar in safety and dignity,” he added.
The state minister arrived in Geneva on Wednesday to attend the launch of
the UN Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis for 2019.
The launch took place at an event at the UN in the Swiss city of
Geneva Friday.
Alam raised the possibility of creating a civilian “safe zone” for the
returnee Rohingyas in Myanmar, to be monitored by the human rights and
humanitarian outfits in the concerned regional context.
He also shared information on the government’s plans to relocate a portion
of the Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar to the Bhashan Char island in
consultation with all concerned stakeholders.
The OIC ambassadors and delegates from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
Indonesia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Libya, State of Palestine and the
Maldives reaffirmed their solidarity with the forcibly displaced Rohingyas
and commended Bangladesh for its generosity in hosting them.
The OIC member states reiterated their commitment to help find a peaceful
and lasting solution to the crisis through sustained engagement in the
relevant human rights and humanitarian fora in Geneva. — NNN-BSS
