Rohingyas can be a threat to country’s security: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the security and stability of Bangladesh could be hampered if the displaced Rohingya people cannot be repatriated soon, reports UNB.

“If we can’t send them back soon, there’s an apprehension that our security and stability will be at stake,” she told parliament while replying to a tabled question from Awami League MP Nur Mohammad (Kishoreganj-2).

The prime minister said, “It’s very tough for us to arrange food, clothes and accommodation for over 1.1 million Myanmar nationals for an indefinite time.”

This is why the government has been making diplomatic efforts to find out a permanent solution since the very beginning of the crisis for sending the forcibly-displaced Rohingyas back to their homeland, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the displaced people, deprived of basic rights by the Myanmar authorities, are naturally suffering from dissatisfaction.

Noting that any repatriation process is a very complicated and lengthy process, she said Bangladesh and the international community are exerting pressure on Myanmar to create a congenial environment in Rakhine state.

Unfortunately, she said, it is true there has been no visible progress in the situation due to a rigid stance of Myanmar government.

Besides, Myanmar is involved in carrying out propaganda in the international arena that the Rohingya repatriation is being delayed for the noncooperation of Bangladesh, she added.

The prime minister said Bangladesh repeatedly raised voice in different fora that Myanmar is responsible for taking back its all the displaced people, and Myanmar will have to take the initiative in this regard.

She said Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a total of three bilateral agreements. The repatriation process would be completed within two years according to an agreement out of three. “But the Myanmar government has delayed the process by creating in many ways.”

In reply to a question from treasury bench member M Abdul Latif (Chattogram-11), the prime minister said the government has set a target to create some 15 million jobs in the next five years.

She said the present government has taken various measures to transform the young generation into human resources by creating jobs in the country in line with strategies and targets of the 7thfive-year plan (2016-20).