A Bangladeshi delegation led by Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali Saturday visited Rakhine state to see the preparation of Myanmar for the repatriation of Rohingya people.
The delegation is now in Myanmar on a four-day visit to discuss issues related to the repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals who took shelter in Bangladesh and to learn about Myanmar’s preparation for repatriation of Rohingyas.
They visited northern Rakhine State accompanied by the Myanmar Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of Myanmar, said a foreign ministry press release.
They were taken to the border on the Myanmar side where few thousand displaced Myanmar nationals have been staying at the zero line.
The Bangladesh delegation also saw the trail of the wide-spread devastation suffered by the people of the northern Rakhine state.
The foreign minister visited reception centres at Taung Pyo Let Yar and Nga Khu Ya, the transit camp at Hla Poe Kaung having thirty thousand capacity, to demonstrate Myanmar’s preparation to receive the returnees.
Ali also visited Shwe Zar village where around 148 pre-fabricated houses for returnees are being built with assistance from the government of India.
He visited Pan Taw Pyin village from where most of the 15000 inhabitants fled to Bangladesh.
The minister was informed that remaining Muslims and peoples of Buddhist and Hindu faith are currently living there.
The Myanmar government has built 22 houses for internally displaced people and around 50 more houses for the returnees in the village. He also visited Kain Gyi village inhabited by ethnic Rakhine and Mro people.
Earlier, on Friday the foreign minister had a meeting with Kyaw Tint Swe, Union Minister of the Office of the State Counsellor of Myanmar in Nay Pyi Taw.
This was followed by a ministerial meeting between the two sides. Bangladesh side was led by the foreign minister while the Myanmar side was led by the Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe.
Later in the afternoon, he paid a courtesy call on the Vice President of the Union of Myanmar U Myint Swe.
The foreign minister is accompanied by the Bangladesh members of the Joint Working Group on repatriation including Md. Shahidul Haque, Foreign Secretary.
At the bilateral meeting, various aspects and challenges concerning the repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals were discussed at length.
Both sides have agreed on the need for delivering on the commitments made by parties and speed up implementation of the bilateral instruments on repatriation concluded between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Mahmood Ali emphasized on the need for accelerating effort for creating a conducive environment in the northern Rakhine State and building houses and villages for the returnees to facilitate repatriation.
Myanmar highlighted setting up of two reception centres, one transit camp, and engagement with UNHCR and UNDP and other initiatives as proof of her readiness to receive the returnees.
Union Minister of Myanmar showed keen interest on starting repatriation at the earliest.
Myanmar side also informed that houses for the returnees are being built at selected locations and more will be built.
They further informed that 42 sites have so far been identified for resettlement of displaced people from Rakhine State sheltered in Bangladesh.
Both sides reached understanding on the wide distribution of verification forms among the prospective returnees, building of the remaining reception center at the Bangladesh side as agreed in the bilateral arrangements.
It was also agreed that a hotline between the two ministers would be established.
Bangladesh requested Myanmar to take steps to address unwillingness of prospective returnees to accept the National Verification Card (NVC).
Myanmar agreed to send teams to the camps in Cox’s Bazar to explain advantages of holding NVC and to disseminate information on various steps taken by Myanmar in connection with repatriation.
Both sides agreed on the need for early settlement of the displaced people currently staying at the boundary line (Zero line) between border pillars 34 and 35 to their original villages.
Myanmar particularly requested Bangladesh to stop providing humanitarian assistance to those people by ICRC/UNDP/INGOs from Bangladesh side and proposed to arrange supply of humanitarian assistance from Myanmar side.
Bangladesh responded positively to Myanmar’s proposal to conduct fresh joint survey of the boundary line between border pillars 34 and 35.