Myanmar seems not interested in taking back the Rohingyas who have fled to Bangladesh, says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Speaking at the parliament during Wednesday’s question-and-answer session, she said, “They are not even taking any initiatives for the return of Rohingyas.”
Bangladesh will not take in the hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas, the prime minister said before adding “Myanmar will have to take them back as international pressure is mounting on them.”
The global community stands by Bangladesh on the issue, said the leader of the House.
“The whole world lauded Bangladesh for providing shelter to the Rohingyas as well as admits that it’s a huge burden for our country,” said Hasina.
“The world community including China, Russia and India have responded to our call and put pressures on Myanmar so that they take the Rohingya’s back. Some are exerting pressure publicly while others are doing their part internally,” she added.
The prime minister also said, “It’s our diplomatic success that we could bring everyone to agree that Myanmar must take the Rohingyas back. ”
Speaking about the government’s steps on sending the Rohingyas to Myanmar, the prime minister said, “We are carrying on with our work. Three agreements have been signed with the Myanmar. Lists of some names have also been prepared. Although Myanmar is not showing any interest to take them back, Bangladesh is rather active to that goal.”
Hasina said she was confident that Bangladesh will be able to make it happen.
Responding to a query on Rohingyas destroying forestry in Cox’s Bazaar, she said, “It’s leaving an adverse effect on the environment. Diseases such as Polio, HIV and Diphtheria are spreading. Risks of organised crimes including human and drug trafficking have increased.”
The prime minister said that she will raise the issues in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.
“Rohingyas started to enter Bangladesh since 1978-79. I don’t know of how the then-military rulers handled the situation. But what I know is the influx continued of their failure,” Hasina added.
Responding to another query, the prime minister said, “A total of 914 bridges and 3,977 culverts have been built between 2009 and 2018.”
“The Purbachal new city project in Gazipur and Narayangang will be completed by 2020, which will have 25, 016 land plots,” said Hasian in response to another query.
According to her, the traffic congestion in the capital will significantly come down after the project is completed.
In response to another query, the leader of the House said, “Newly purchased self-propelled guns have been handed over to the army. Besides, several other state of the art weapon systems have been included to strengthen the army’s capability, including anti-tank guided missiles, anti-tank artilleries, multiple-launch rocket system, weapon locating radars, ground surveillance radars, armoured personnel carriers, armoured reconnaissance vehicles and FM-90 air defense SAM.”
PM Hasina also said that two maritime patrol aircraft and two helicopters have been added to the navy while two maritime aircraft is being manufactured and there are plans to purchase two more helicopters.
The parliament session, presided over by Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, started after 5:00 pm in the afternoon.
