Rohingya repatriation
Refugee Policy Review done by UNHCR following its framework
The World Bank on Tuesday said the Refugee Policy Review was done by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) following the Refugee Policy Review Framework.
UNHCR collected baseline information on the existing policies, practices, and programmes, said the global lending agency in a statement posted on its website.
The WB said the review does not make any country-specific recommendations.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen also said the it was for the countries which are hosting refugees.
On Monday, he reiterated the government position against any long term programme by the World Bank for integration of Rohingyas into Bangladesh but indicated some adjustments on the proposal.
Read: Bangladesh receives $590 million World Bank financing to tackle Rohingya situation
"We have dropped all ideas (from WB proposal) that doesn't match with our own philosophy that's repatriation," Dr Momen, adding that Bangladesh's priority remains repatriation of the Rohingyas.
The World Bank is helping Bangladesh address the needs of the displaced Rohingya population until their safe and voluntarily return to Myanmar, said the statement.
The World Bank is also supporting Bangladesh to minimize the impact of the influx on the host communities, it said.
The World Bank has committed $590 million for Bangladesh to address the health, informal education, safety net, water and sanitation, and basic infrastructure, including climate resilient roads, solar street lights, and disaster preparedness needs of both the displaced Rohingya and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.
The World Bank’s research and analysis are also providing insights for understanding the challenges and development priorities in Cox’s Bazar.
Read: Repatriation is the only solution, not integration: FM about Rohingya crisis
"The entire $590 million financing is on grant terms. This is not a credit," reads the statement.
The Refugee Policy Review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the World Bank financing for the refugee and host communities, said the WB.
This review has been done in each of the 14 World Bank member countries that are currently hosting displaced population.
Bangladesh against any idea leading to Rohingya integration: FM
The government has taken a very strong stance against the idea floated by the World Bank that apparently suggests the integration of Rohingyas into Bangladesh as Bangladesh’s priority remains repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland.
“We took a very strong stance. We didn’t like it and we opposed it strongly. We conveyed it,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told UNB.
The World Bank came up with a programme as part of its Refugee Policy Review Framework globally for refugee host countries through the Economic Relations Division (ERD).
“Rohingyas are not refugees here. They’re taking shelter temporarily,” Dr Momen said, adding that Bangladesh wants the repatriation of Rohingyas to their place of origin in Myanmar.
Asked about the WB’s proposed programme, the Foreign Minister said the WB is saying effective steps to be taken to identify, prevent and mitigate social tensions and risk of violence among the displaced people and host communities, building good relations among themselves, and to employ them in local works.
Read: Poor host communities fume as Rohingyas start grabbing local labour market
He said they (WB) are saying Rohingyas should have the right to work and free mobility; and birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates should be issued for the Rohingyas like Bangladesh citizens. “Naturally, we don’t accept those ideas. They (WB) are willing to give money for these if we do integrate them.”
As per the WB ideas shared with the ERD, the Rohingyas should have access to local labour market, including business opportunities, the same way Bangladesh nationals have with the same payment facilities.
Japan to grab any opportunity to resolve Rohingya crisis for regional stability
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito has said Japan will seize the opportunity to find a “long-term and lasting solution” to the Rohingya crisis with the Myanmar side, noting that the issue is very relevant to the future stability of the entire region.
“What we can say right now is Japan will seize the opportunity to raise this very, very important issue with the Myanmar side and its military now whenever appropriate,” he said.
The Japanese envoy said his country will do its best to create an enabling environment for the early repatriation of Rohingyas and will continue to raise the issue with the Myanmar side whenever appropriate.
He was responding to a question at a virtual dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future” where he delivered the keynote speech.
Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue as a part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, Columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation comprised the panel of discussants.
Also read: Ambassador Ito sees 5 challenges ahead to elevate Dhaka-Tokyo ties
Ambassador Ito said humanitarian assistance and humanitarian crises are very much part of their vision when they talk about stability and peace of the region.
He said it is very difficult to predict what is going to happen in Myanmar right now in light of the current situation in that country since the February 1 military coup with a complete standoff.
Connecticut Governor pledges to address Bangladesh's Covid vaccine needs
The Governor of the US state of Connecticut has pledged to address Bangladesh’s Covid vaccine needs as the country grapples with the pandemic's deadly second wave.
Governor Ned Lamont, an influential Democrat, agreed to explore avenues for commercial supply and co-production of Covid jabs in Bangladesh in collaboration with US pharma giant Pfizer's Central Research Division in Connecticut.
Read:Bangladesh-France economic ties affected by Covid-19 pandemic: Embassy
He made the commitment during a meeting with Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M Shahidul Islam at the Governor’s official residence recently, the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington said Wednesday.
Earlier, the Bangladeshi-American community in Hartford City of Connecticut organised a welcoming event in honour of the Ambassador, which was attended by Congressman John B Larson (Democrat-CT), Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (Democrat-CT), Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut Susan Bysiewicz, State Senator Saud Anwar, Manchester city mayor Jay Moran, chair of Connecticut Democratic Party Nancy DiNardo, and Bangladeshi-Americans MD Rahman and Mehdi Anwar.
Read:FM reassures on adequate vaccine supply from multiple sources
China does not consider India a strategic rival: Ambassador Li Jiming
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming has emphasized that China never takes India as a “strategic rival” rather they consider India a good neighbour of China.
“I would say, we never take India as a strategic rival. We still hope that the China-India relationship can be improved. So, never imagine that China would like to have any hostile or rival attitude to India. That’s not the case,” said the envoy.
Read: Never worry about any 'debt trap': Beijing to Dhaka
He made the remarks while responding to a question at an online symposium titled “Bangladesh-China Relations: Prognosis for the Future” hosted by the Cosmos Foundation and premiered on its Facebook page on Thursday evening.
Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan delivered the opening remarks at the event while Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and adviser on foreign affairs to the last caretaker government, chaired the session.
Ambassador (retd) Tariq A. Karim, CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, former Foreign Secretary Shamsher M. Chowdhury, Assistant Researcher of the Institute for International Studies at Yunnan University Dr Zou Yingmeng, Assistant Research Fellow at China Institute of International Studies Dr Ning Shengnan, former Ambassador Serajul Islam and Dhaka University Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir comprised the panel of discussants.
The Chinese Ambassador mentioned a number of platforms where the two countries are working together. “We’re still working very, very well together, very closely.”
Read: Rohingya Repatriation: Beijing assures to act as bridge to facilitate early results
Ambassador Li, as the Chinese Ambassador to India’s neighboring country - Bangladesh, hoped that this China-India relationship would be improved more in the future.
Historically, they envoy said, they have more than 2000 to 3000 years of good relationship with India, and any Chinese intellectual like himself has a special feeling for Indian culture.
“Any Chinese intellectual, who is well-educated, would have a special feeling. A good feeling, towards India - that is something untold publicly probably,” he said.
Enayetullah Khan fondly recalled interviewing the present Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing back in 2004 (when he was the Vice-Foreign Minister) when Minister Yi talked about new foreign policy which is good neighborly relations with their neighbors.
“I asked, where does Bangladesh stand? His immediate answer was – Bangladesh could be the bridge between India and China,” Khan said, going down his memory lane.
As one of the discussants raised the Quad issue - the 4-country alliance between the USA, Australia, Japan and India, that is seen as anti-Beijing. The Ambassador took the opportunity to explain what he said on the issue of Bangladesh possibly being invited to join, at a particular programme.
“As an Ambassador to Bangladesh, the first foreign policy lesson I learned is that Bangladesh adheres to the idea of "friendship to all and malice to none." So, I have full confidence that Bangladesh will not be part of that small clique,” he said.
“But when I was asked if you would like to see or do you think this is a good idea for Bangladesh to do so, of course, I would say no. What else can you expect from me? Should I say yes? That would have been ridiculous. So that is the story about Quad,” Ambassador Li added.
He said he has full confidence and China has full confidence in Bangladesh that it would never take part in any small clique, especially involving military or security purposes. “This is the history that already taught us that Bangladesh would never do that.”
The example of Sri Lanka came up in the context of a country that fell into a “debt trap” as a result of public investment projects financed by China.
Ambassador Li, who delivered the keynote address at the symposium, however said there is no proven evidence that China created any 'debt trap' in any country, including in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
“I think you have an excellent system and you’ve excellent officials and Ministers to take care of that. So, never worry about that,” said the Ambassador.
Referring to an article he read regarding Sri Lanka's debt situation, the Chinese envoy said the total Chinese debt accounts for only less than 8 percent of the whole debt of that country and of this 8 percent Chinese debts, much less is related to the Belt and Road projects.
The Ambassador also said there is governmental to governmental debt, which is normally a soft, concessional loan with a very low interest and for a very long period of time.
Dr. Debapriya of CPD said China has emerged as a big financial investor in Bangladesh involving major projects and those projects have major infrastructural implications.
Rohingya Repatriation: Beijing assures to act as bridge to facilitate early results
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming has said China will continue to serve as a “bridge of communication and try its best to facilitate early results” as Bangladesh seeks early repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar.
“We fully understand the keenness of Bangladesh to start repatriation, and our determination to help the two friendly neighbours resolve this long-standing issue will never change,” he said while speaking at an online symposium hosted by the Cosmos Foundation.
While delivering the keynote speech, Ambassador Li said the sudden change in Myanmar earlier this year - the coup in February - caught them all by surprise, and created some uncertainties over the repatriation process.
Read:Never worry about any 'debt trap': Beijing to Dhaka
Right now, he said, China is closely observing the situation in Myanmar, hoping the country could return to normal soon.
Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan delivered the opening remarks at the symposium titled “Bangladesh-China Relations: Prognosis for the Future” which premiered on its Facebook page on Thursday evening.
Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and adviser on foreign affairs to the last caretaker government, chaired the session.
Ambassador (retd) Tariq A. Karim, CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, former Foreign Secretary Shamsher M. Chowdhury, Assistant Researcher of the Institute for International Studies at Yunnan University Dr Zou Yingmeng, Assistant Research Fellow at China Institute of International Studies Dr Ning Shengnan, former Ambassador Serajul Islam and Dhaka University Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir comprised the panel of discussants.
Read:Get ready as major shift taking place in global economy: FM
Former Ambassador Tariq Karim said, “I would request China to support us in our efforts to augment regional and sub-regional cooperation on a number of issues which will have consequences with China, particularly in resolving the Rohingya issue, not just in Bangladesh, but particularly in its point of origin where China has the capacity to help us resolve it.”
Metaphorically speaking about the current volatile situation in Myanmar, he said he sees the flame in the centre and it is at the point of imploding, and imploding Myanmar will lead to an explosion that will not leave any country, including China, Bangladesh, India and any of the Asean countries, untouched.
Ensure dignified repatriation of Rohingyas: Hasina to global community
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday renewed her call to the global community to ensure the dignified repatriation of Rohingyas as they are posing a big security threat to Bangladesh as well as the region.
"We’ve sheltered them on humanitarian grounds but such a huge population can't be lodged for an indefinite period… I request the world community to assist us in dignified and peaceful repatriation of the Rohingyas," she said.
Read: Rohingya vaccination depends on arrival of vaccines from COVAX
The Prime Minister made the call in her pre-recorded speech at the three-day 'IX Moscow Conference on International Security'.
She said Bangladesh has been hosting more than a 1.1 million Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals- Rohingyas for about four years. "They’re posing a huge security threat to Bangladesh as well as the region," she added.
Hasina said it goes without saying that conflicts among states give rise to intrastate security problems.
Dhaka calls for 'effective actions' to repatriate Rohingyas
Bangladesh has reiterated its emphatic call to the international community to take more effective actions in ensuring safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas now taking shelter in Bangladesh to their own lands in Myanmar.
Shabbir Ahmad Chowdhury, Secretary (West) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the call at a panel discussion titled "Humanitarian Approach Towards Refugees and Migrants."
Read:Cash, gold dug out from Ukhiya camp, Rohingya couple held
The discussion was held as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that ended in Antalya, Turkey on Sunday.
Elaborating the measures undertaken by the government in addressing the humanitarian needs of Rohingyas as far as possible, Chowdhury underlined the need for immediate resolution of this crisis in view of the challenges it is presenting, not only to Bangladesh, but also to the entire region.
Moderated by Andrea Sanke, an acclaimed media personality in Turkey, the panel was also addressed by Antonio Vitiligo, Director General of International Organization of Migration, Dr. Kerem Kinik, President of Turkish Red Crescent, Michael Spindelegger, Director General of International Centre for Migration Policy and Development and Dr. Savas Unlu, Director General of Migration Management of Ministry of Interior, Turkey.
On the sidelines of panel discussions, Chowdhury held a bilateral meeting with Joshua Phopho Setipa, Managing Director, United Nations Technology Bank where both sides discussed how this particular Bank could be engaged in the process of Bangladesh's transition to a developing economy from LDC status.
They also discussed the possibility of setting up a regional Centre of LDC Technology Bank in Dhaka.
Read: UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Tahsan visits Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps
A meeting was also held between Secretary Chowdhury and Karat Sarybay, Executive Director, CICA where both the dignitaries shared their perspectives on a range of contemporary issues including geopolitical uncertainty, economic volatility, security turmoil and pandemic dangers across Asia in particular and globe in general.
They underlined the need for stepping up collaboration between and among the Asian nations more than ever.
Stating the Foreign policy dictum of Father of the Nation of Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman "Friendship to all, malice towards none" Secretary Chowdhury expressed the commitment of Bangladesh towards building peaceful sustainable societies across the world and more particularly across Asia.
He also appraised him of the encouraging economic growth of Bangladesh amidst the pandemic and phenomenal socio-economic developments that the country has scripted in the recent time.
Sarybay deeply appreciated the Bangladesh leadership for continued economic success of Bangladesh and efficient handling of pandemic.
Chowdhury also had a bilateral meeting with the 1st Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey Sedat Onal in the afternoon.
Read:Speakers: Both formal and informal diplomacy needed to solve Rohingya problem
During the meeting, among other issues, they discussed the possible State visit of Turkish President to Bangladesh, continued collaboration on the Rohingya issue bilaterally and multilaterally, enhancement of trade including the possibility of duty reduction on some specific items, welcoming of Turkish investments in SEZ and High Tech Parks in Bangladesh.
They also agreed to hold the next sessions of JEC (Joint Economic Commission) and FOC (Foreign Office Consultation) in Dhaka at the earliest.
Resolution on Myanmar fails to recommend actions on Rohingya repatriation: Dhaka
Bangladesh has expressed “deep disappointment” over the new resolution on Myanmar at the United Nations General Assembly as ‘it has failed to recommend actions” on repatriation of the Rohingyas and adequately reflect on the crisis.
“The resolution that was adopted falls far short of our expectations,” said Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima after adoption of the resolution on the ‘Situation in Myanmar’ at the 75th session of the UNGA.
In an explanation of vote by Bangladesh, she said the resolution failed to recognize in its operative part, the urgent need for creating conditions for the safe, voluntary and sustainable return of the displaced minorities of Myanmar, particularly the Rohingyas.
FM seeks clear roadmap from UN for Rohingya repatriation
Bangladesh has sought a clear roadmap from the United Nations for repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
“We provided shelter to the Rohingyas out of humanitarian consideration. However, the solution to the crisis lies in their safe and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar, which couldn’t even be commenced in the last four years. Now UN needs to provide us with a clear roadmap in this regard," said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
Read:Dhaka urges UN to take immediate steps to resolve Rohingya crisis
He made the call at a bilateral meeting with Christine S. Burgener, the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister referred to the negative impacts of protracted presence of the Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, particularly for the host community, and stated that if repatriation doesn’t commence soon, it would only deteriorate the overall situation there and create instability in the region and beyond.
He briefed the Special Envoy on Bhashan Char project where the Rohingyas can engage in economic activities and stressed the engagement of UN in providing humanitarian assistance there.
Read: FM's NY Visit: Dhaka to press for early repatriation of Rohingyas