Rohingya repatriation document signed to fool people: BNP
Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Saturday said the government has signed the Rohingya repatriation instrument with Myanmar only to deceive the country's people.
"This (Rohingya repatriation instrument) is a ploy of the current government. They've done it to mislead people ahead of the next polls," he said.
Khasru, a BNP standing committee member, came up with the comment while speaking at a discussion at Nationalist Press Club arranged by Jatiyatabadi Desh Bachao Manush Bachao Andolan.
He said the government is saying the repatriation of Rohingyas will begin following the signing of the instrument. "But they're not saying when it'll be completed. There's no specific deadline to complete the repatriation of the Rohingyas. We think it's surely a process to deceive people."
Earlier on Thursday, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an 'instrument' on Rohingya repatriation with high hopes that the forcibly displaced Rohingyas will start returning to their homeland within the next two months.
Over 622,000 Rohingyas have crossed the border and taken shelter in Cox's Bazar district since August 25 amid persecution by Myanmar military in their Rakhine State.
Khasru said a specific deadline should be fixed for completing the Rohingya repatriation task.
Referring to the deals signed during the rules of their founder Ziaur Rahman and current chairperson Khaleda Zia in 1978 and 1992 respectively, he said fixed deadlines were mentioned in those deals to take back Rohingyas. "The repartition had also completed within the stipulated time frame."
Turning to the next general election, the BNP leader said the government must hold the 11th parliamentary polls in a credible manner with the participation of all parties. "Awami League won't be able to hold a lopsided election like the January-5, 2014 one this time."
Khasru said they are closely observing the government steps and Election Commission activities. "If they make any mistake, people won't accept it.
He also warned that the government will have to pay a heavy price if it tries to hold the election keeping Khaleda out of the race.