Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said, we have visited all the neighboring countries including India, China and Thailand. Everyone has acknowledged that Myanmar has caused the Rohingya problem. So they will solve the problem. Everyone said the permanent solution is to get people back. So since that day we still have our foreign policy in the driver's seat. The United States and Europe have all said that Myanmar must take back the Rohingya.
No country in the world can accommodate 11 lakh people like this, he said. But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given them shelter for humanitarian reasons. At first no one helped. But our government has given overall support to these Rohingyas.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the launching of two books by Major (retd) Mohammad Emdadul Islam at Bangabandhu Auditorium of Chattogram Press Club on Sunday (January 10) at 2pm.
Chattogram University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Shirin Akhtar presided over the function. Deputy Minister for Education Barrister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Nawfel was the special guest.
Noting that the Bangladesh government has taken all necessary steps to repatriate the Rohingyas, the foreign minister said talks with Myanmar on the issue are ongoing. They have been told that their country is developing. This country is also developing. If these people are not taken back, there will be unrest in these two countries and in this region. That is not good for any country.
I saw in 1978 and 1992 and then many Rohingyas came to Bangladesh and took them again. In 1992, about 2 lakh 53 thousand Rohingyas came to the country. Later, through negotiations, they took away 230,000, said the minister.
They have a history and they have taken it, so we are hopeful that they will take 11 lakh Rohingyas now, he said. But it is difficult to say when it will be taken. The Bangladesh government has taken all necessary steps to repatriate the Rohingyas.