Dhaka committed to dignified, sustainable Rohingya repatriation

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar, saying regional and international diplomatic efforts were being intensified to expedite the process.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Rohingya Crisis: Way Forward – Towards Sustainable Repatriation and a Durable Regional Solution” at Radisson Blu Water Garden in Dhaka. The Foundation for Strategic and Development Studies (FSDS) organised the event.
FSDS Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar chaired the seminar, while Prime Minister’s Adviser on Public Administration, Md Ismail Jabiullah, who holds the rank of minister, attended as the special guest. Salahuddin said Bangladesh’s efforts alone would not be sufficient to ensure sustainable repatriation. 
He called for a strategic regional alliance and coordinated engagement involving key stakeholders, including China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations and Japan.

He said Sasakawa, Japan’s special envoy for national reconciliation in Myanmar and chairman of the Nippon Foundation, had recently visited Bangladesh. 
The prime minister and the home minister held detailed discussions with him, during which Japan assured Bangladesh of its full cooperation.
The prime minister is also scheduled to visit Japan later this month, when further discussions on accelerating repatriation are expected, he added.
Highlighting the changing geopolitical and security landscape in Rakhine State, Salahuddin noted that the Arakan Army controlled a large part of the territory. 
Bangladesh was exploring possible solutions through various diplomatic channels, including informal contacts, he said.
“Peaceful repatriation is the main goal, and Bangladesh will continue diplomatic dialogue while keeping all options open as a last resort,” he said.
Ismail Jabiullah said the Rohingya crisis was not merely a humanitarian or bilateral issue, but one closely linked to Bangladesh’s national interests, regional stability and international geopolitics.
Given the crisis’s longstanding complexities and Myanmar’s changing political and military landscape, Bangladesh needed to move from crisis management to strategic diplomacy, from temporary relief to sustainable repatriation, and from fragmented initiatives to an integrated national strategy, he said.
He also stressed the need to protect Rohingyas’ human rights while urging Myanmar and the international community to ensure their safe and dignified return to their homeland.