The Rohingya issue, if it continues, will lead to uncertainties and instability in the region and may “emerge as a global crisis”, says Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.
“This is not just a problem for Myanmar and Bangladesh, but will be an issue for other countries in this region,” he told the media on Tuesday (Feb 5), after a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Bob Rae.
He said that the crisis can morph into a global one and called for a swift solution for it.
“The situation at Rakhine is unstable at the moment and the residents are fleeing to Bangladesh to save their lives,” Momen said.
“We will do everything needed for the safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas and Canada is helping us in this endeavour,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bob Rae echoed Momen, saying that productive initiatives must be taken to resolve the matter.
“We believe that it’s of utmost importance that Rohingyas are repatriated with safety and political rights.
“I recently spoke to them and asked them what they wanted. They all want to go back but with safety,” he said.
Responding to queries on whether discussions were underway to resolve the crisis, Rae said, “Talks are underway but we don’t know whether they’ll be successful.”
Bob Rae is on a five-day visit to Bangladesh to visit the Rohingya camps at Cox’s Bazar and conduct a series of meetings to resolve the Rohingya crisis.