Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the world leaders should have been more vocal on Myanmar issue in identifying the handful of October 9 perpetrators that led to the sufferings of thousands of men, women and children along the border.

“If we want to blame (initially), we need to think of more about those who first unleashed the situation and killed border guards police and it’s needed to identify where they’re [perpetrators] now and they should be held,” she said pointing finger at those who killed the nine border guards in Myanmar's strife-torn Rakhine state on October 9.

The Prime Minister said thousands of men, women and children are suffering as their [perpetrators] attacks led to the current situation. “It’s very unfortunate that for handful of people many men, women and children are suffering. It’s the most worrying matter,” Hasina said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh’s intelligence has already been informed and Bangladesh will not give them shelter. “Instead, they’ll be caught, if found, and be handed over to Myanmar authorities.” 

She said though it is Myanmar’s internal affairs, necessary steps have been taken from the Foreign Ministry [of Bangladesh]. “Members of Border Guard Bangladesh are on high alert…the reality is that people have no option but to look for shelter once they become helpless,” Hasina said.

On November 24, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali briefed diplomats here on the issue urging the international community to play its due role in this regard.

He requested the diplomatic community to sensitise their governments so that a coordinated approach can be taken to address the issue.

On November 23, Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh Myo Myint Than was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet Ambassador Kamrul Ahsan, Secretary (Bilateral & Consular).

During the meeting, Ahsan expressed government’s deep concern at the deteriorating situation in the Rakhine State of Myanmar due to actions of Myanmar military causing dire consequences to people and its implications for Bangladesh.

Despite BGB’s sincere efforts to prevent the influx, thousands of distressed Myanmar’s citizens including women, children and elderly people continue to cross the border into Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh urged Myanmar to assist it to ensure the integrity of its border to prevent the influx of people from Rakhine State into its territory, and take urgent appropriate measures so that Muslim minorities there are not forced to seek shelter across the border.