Home Minister flies to Myanmar Oct 23
Dhaka: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will leave here for Myanmar on October 23 on a 4-day visit to discuss Rohingya issue, aiming to send them back to their homeland through diplomatic efforts.
The Rohingya issue will be the key agenda, said the minister while talking to reporters at the secretariat on Thursday.
The Bangladesh delegation will also include two secretaries of the Home Ministry, Directors General (DGs) of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, Department of Narcotics Control, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and delegates from the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
He said, "The aim of the visit is to repatriate the Rohingyas who were forced to flee into Bangladesh."
On October 2, Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed to form a joint working group to start the repatriation process of all the Rohingyas living in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has also proposed a bilateral agreement with Myanmar to facilitate the implementation of repatriation process.
A draft of the proposed deal has also been handed over to Myanmar side at the meeting.
Bangladesh has been flagging the Annan Commission's recommendation and laid emphasis on implementation of those recommendations to peacefully resolve the Rohingya issue.
The Foreign Minister indicated that the joint working group will also conduct citizenship verification process apart from other related works.
Bangladesh reiterated its position over the Rohingya issue, and urged Myanmar to take steps for the sustainable return of all the Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar who are currently living here, said a diplomatic source.
Since August 25, more than half a million Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh to flee ethnic cleansing in their own country.