Bangladesh has called upon the international community to take decisive collective action to ensure the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.
State minister for foreign affairs, Shahriar Alam, insisted that the international community needs to put pressure on Myanmar for ensuring accountability and justice for the atrocities committed against the Rohingyas in Myanmar.
He came up with the call at the 14th Foreign Ministers’ of Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM FMM14) at Madrid, Spain on Monday (December 16), said a press release.
Alam urged the international community to create a conducive environment in Myanmar for the safe, dignified, and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees staying in Bangladesh.
He insisted that the international community needs to put pressure on Myanmar for ensuring accountability and justice for the atrocities committed against the Rohingyas in Myanmar.
He highlighted the humanitarian position taken by Bangladesh in providing shelter to the Rohingyas, who have fled from their own country after state persecution.
The chair’s statement adopted by the foreign ministers of the ASEM member countries called for a durable solution of the Rohingya crisis and creation of conditions conducive to the safe, dignified, sustainable, and voluntary return of the Rohingyas. They also underlined the importance of ensuring accountability in this regard.
Alam also called upon the international community to address the issue of climate change on the most immediate basis. He also explained the challenges faced by Bangladesh as a climate-vulnerable country and the initiatives by the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to address this enormous challenge.
In his intervention at the foreign ministers’ meeting, inaugurated by the king of Spain, the state minister highlighted the achievements of Bangladesh in ensuring gender parity, particularly in the area of women empowerment.
On the sidelines of the ASEM FMM14, the state minister also held bilateral meetings with the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Ireland; foreign minister of Austria; foreign minister of Poland; foreign minister of Indonesia; deputy minister for foreign affairs of the Russian Federation; deputy minister for foreign affairs of Spain; and deputy minister for foreign affairs of the Czech Republic.
AFP adds: Malaysia will this week host a summit of Muslim leaders billed as a forum to look at the Islamic world’s problems, but it will be closely watched for Middle East power plays and their stance on China’s Uighur minority.
Leaders from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar will be among hundreds of delegates attending the three-day event set to discuss myriad challenges faced by Muslims.
The summit has been pushed by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has long championed greater solidarity among the world’s Islamic communities — and wants to boost his country’s standing on the international stage.
A key question is whether China’s treatment of its mostly Muslim Uighur minority, many of whom have been sent to “re-education” camps, will be raised after Islamic leaders faced criticism for largely remaining silent on the issue.
In a statement ahead of the forum, Mahathir’s office said the Muslim community was suffering due to “the incarceration of millions (who) are placed in detention camps, civil wars resulting in total destruction of cities… the rise of Islamophobia”.
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