Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has described the Rohingya crisis as a major threat to regional security.
He made this statement on Sunday (September 6) during a roundtable discussion organized by the Institute of Global Cooperation Foundation (IGC Foundation) in the capital.
The Home Minister said that the Rohingya crisis is becoming a cause for concern for Bangladesh’s law and order situation, in addition to regional security. He noted that the environment in Rohingya camps is deteriorating due to various criminal activities, especially drug trafficking. Therefore, strict control over the camp boundaries is essential.
He mentioned that the local population of Cox’s Bazar has been enduring various problems and sufferings for a long time due to the Rohingyas. The more populous the camps become, the more complex the crisis will be.
Salahuddin Ahmed stated that humanitarian assistance must continue until the Rohingyas are repatriated to Myanmar. However, this assistance can by no means be a substitute for repatriation; it is merely a temporary measure.
He also commented that effective assistance and support from influential global powers and international organizations, including the United Nations, are needed to ensure the safe, dignified, and swift repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland. In this regard, Bangladesh expects cooperation from the international community.
The Home Minister further said that Bangladesh will give special importance to ensuring that the resolution of the Rohingya crisis during the upcoming UN session does not get overshadowed by other global issues.