Safe repatriation is only solution to Rohingya crisis: PM

Shibbir Ahmed, New York— Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said the only solution to the Rohingya crisis is the safe return of the displaced Rohingya population to their homeland in Myanmar, calling for firm and effective support from the United Nations and the international community for a lasting solution.

“The only solution to this problem is the safe return of the displaced Rohingya population to their homeland, Myanmar,” he said while addressing the General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“For more than nine years, Bangladesh has been providing shelter to more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar,” the Prime Minister said. He said the prolonged presence of the Rohingyas had placed immense pressure on Bangladesh’s resources, environment, security and local communities.

“Bangladesh, a densely populated country, believes that the source and origin of the Rohingya crisis lie in Myanmar; therefore, its solution also lies there,” he said. Tarique Rahman urged the United Nations and the international community to continue life-saving assistance programmes for the displaced Rohingyas until their repatriation to Myanmar.

“If the international community fails to ensure justice for the displaced Rohingya population, this may turn into a humanitarian crisis in the near future,” he warned.

Call for peaceful resolution of conflicts

The Prime Minister also called for stronger international efforts to address major global humanitarian and political challenges, saying human-made conflicts had created unrest in many countries and displaced large numbers of people. He said wars and conflicts were placing severe pressure on the global economy, while energy security crises, disruptions to global energy supply systems and rising inflation were worsening the economic situation.

“We believe that any conflict should be resolved through dialogue, diplomatic processes and mutual cooperation,” he said. Tarique Rahman said equality, fairness, protection of mutual interests, respect and dignity should form the basis of bilateral and multilateral relations among states.

“We aspire to a peaceful world, a humane global community where, rather than lethal weapons, reason and debate, diplomacy, education and humanity become the instruments of change,” he said.

Support for Palestine

Turning to the Palestine issue, the Prime Minister said the people of Bangladesh, who cherish democracy, were deeply concerned about the suffering of the Palestinian people.

“Bangladesh reaffirms its unwavering support for their legitimate demands, including their right to self-determination and their right to establish an independent State of Palestine,” he said.

Migration and international cooperation

On migration, Tarique Rahman said migration was as old as human civilisation and migrants were making important contributions to the economies of both their countries of origin and destination. He said the Bangladesh government was committed to ensuring regular, safe and orderly migration.

“Bangladesh expects stronger global cooperation to ensure the rights, dignity and welfare of migrants,” the Prime Minister said. Tarique Rahman also reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to multilateralism in maintaining international peace and security, saying the United Nations should remain at the centre of efforts to establish an understanding-based global community that respects the independence and sovereignty of states.

He said the tendency in various countries to divert development budgets towards military expenditure was an obstacle to world peace.

“As a peace-loving nation, Bangladesh remains committed to the goal of complete and general disarmament, preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and arms control,” he said. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s support for UN initiatives aimed at promoting global peace and humanity.

Climate change

On climate change, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh was one of the countries most vulnerable to its adverse impacts despite making little contribution to global carbon emissions.

“In these circumstances, Bangladesh has chosen the path of building resilience to withstand and overcome these risks,” he said. The Prime Minister called for stronger global action at COP31 on climate justice, climate finance and adaptation support. He said Bangladesh had strengthened its programmes to protect the environment and build resilience against climate risks.

The government had launched a programme to plant 250 million trees across the country over the next five years, while placing emphasis on clean and solar energy, he said. Tarique Rahman also said Bangladesh had launched a programme to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals across the country to help address flooding and drought.

He stressed the importance of cooperation in transboundary water management while reaffirming Bangladesh’s commitment to water conservation and pollution prevention. The Prime Minister concluded by reiterating Bangladesh’s unwavering support for the principles and values of the United Nations in the cause of establishing world peace.