Narinjara news
REPATRIATION OF ALL
BURMESE MUSLIM REFUGEES FROM BANGLADESH BY JUNE 2003
Dhaka, 4th June
2002: Bangladesh government is taking all out measures to complete
repatriation of remaining 21,982 registered Rohingya refugees by June 2003
through negotiation with neighbouring Burma, According to today’s the
independent.
As part of the move, foreign Secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury will pay a
visit to Burma on June 16 to discuss the issue with Burmese military
authorities, Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Chowghury Kamal Ibne
Yusuf told journalists after an inter- ministerial meeting at his ministry
yesterday, the source said.
According to an official from state Minister for communication, the state
minister for communication Salahuddin Ahmed concerned secretaries and
representatives from the ministers of Home affairs, Foreign affairs, BDR,
police and other concerned agencies attended the meeting.
Chowdhury Kamal said the problem would be solved in an integrated approach. He
said most of the refugees have gone back to their homeland
Steps are underway to complete the repatriation of the refugees by June next
year, he said adding that border forces have been asked to check further influx
of refuges from Burma.
Of a quarter of a million Burmese Muslim refugees who crossed into Bangladesh
territory in early 1991, 2,30,000 out of 2,50,877 voluntarily returned to their
homelands in the western Arakan state of Burma during the last 12 years, the
source said.#