KOLKATA, Sept 18: The Rohingya crisis is both a humanitarian and security issue, Bangladesh Minister Mohammed Shahriar Alam said today, without ruling out the possibility of links between Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and foreign terror groups.
Rohingya Muslims are also a “security threat” for Bangladesh and there have been incidents in the past, and that is why the Bangladesh Government has started registration of the Rohingya population, he said.
“We have ordered the law enforcement agencies and the local administration to ensure that the Rohingya population do not move out of their designated area,” Alam, Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said here.
He said Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already condemned the attack on Myanmar security forces at Rakhine.
“We condemn the attacks (on Myanmar security forces) and we will continue to do so in future,” he said.
Alam noted that Hasina will raise the Rohingya crisis with world leaders at the UN General Assembly meet this week.
Asked about the security aspect of the Rohingya imbroglio, the Bangladesh Minister said, “We are not aware of any linkages because it is taking place in a foreign land. But these organisations like (ARSA), if not linked, may be inspired by other terrorist forces. And we do not reject the idea of their being linked to foreign terrorists organisations.”
Quizzed about the possibility of talks between Myanmar and Bangladesh on the matter, he said, “We had made a few proposals, but we did not receive any favorable responses. There is a possibility of Ministry-level talks at the sidelines of the UN meet.”
Alam said Bangladesh has already issued a “note verbale” to the Myanmar envoy in Dhaka about the alleged use of land mines at the Myanmar-Bangladesh border to stop the Rohingyas from fleeing into Bangladesh.
“The people who were trying to flee the Rakhine state…Some of them actually took videos and photos and we are hosting at least three injured individuals who lost their legs and other body parts in mine blasts. We have two bodies of those who died in the mine blasts.
“Bangladesh is definitely part of the anti-mine campaign and a signatory to it. We have raised the issue with Mynamar authorities,” he stated.
Alam said Bangladesh was at present hosting more than eight lakh Rohingyas and their influx will not have an impact on the country’s economy as of now.
“As our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that if the country can take care of its own population, it can also take care of eight to ten lakh (Rohingyas).
“She (Hasina) said it on a humanitarian ground. But we do not want to see this (influx) continue. We want a solution to the problem,” he said.
Bangladesh is pursuing a diplomatic route to resolve this crisis and the solution lies with the Kofi Annan Commission report, he said.
On India’s role in the crisis, Alam said, “We had a discussion (with India) at the diplomatic level. Our High Commissioner had met the MEA Foreign Secretary of India. We had asked for their support so that India and Bangladesh are on the same page and we received reassurances”.
The Indian Government had already sent aid to cater to the Rohingya crisis, he added. (PTI)
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