Foreign Minister: Rohingya issue can be resolved diplomatically

Newly appointed Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday expressed optimism that the Rohingya crisis can be resolved diplomatically.

"We remain engaged with Myanmar. We hope this problem will be resolved diplomatically," he said while responding to a question.

Meeting journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hasan Mahmud said the government does not believe in solving issues with conflicts.

"We firmly believe that diplomatically it can be resolved," he said.

The foreign minister mentioned that the Rohingyas came to Bangladesh even before the latest influx and he visited the camps in person after the latest influx.

"Keeping engagement with Myanmar, we hope to resolve the problem with the cooperation from others," said the foreign minister.

The government wanted to begin repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar last year, initially with around 1,000 of the refugees, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bangladesh has given a list of over 3,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar.

Bangladesh wants to make sure that families are not separated.

The government of Bangladesh has said the drastic reduction of humanitarian assistance for this persecuted population, which is growing with around 30,000 newborns every year in the camps, is compounding the crisis.

Further delay to commence safe, voluntary, and sustainable repatriation and shortage of humanitarian support may put the entire region at risk.

The socio-economic, demographic, and environmental cost of sheltering more than 1.2 million Rohingyas for such a long time is pushing Bangladesh to the limit.

These forcibly displaced people have aspirations and rights to return to their homeland in a safe and sustainable manner, the foreign ministry said.