At UN, Bangladesh urges continued support for hosting Rohingya refugees

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) — The head of Bangladesh's transitional government on Friday appealed for continued international assistance in hosting Rohingya refugees, uprooted from neighboring Myanmar since 2017.

“The protracted crisis in Myanmar also pose growing risks with national and regional security implications for Bangladesh, both traditional and non-traditional security challenges,” Muhammad Yunus said in a speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Yunus reaffirmed, “we remain committed to support forcibly displaced Rohingya community,” as for past seven years, Bangladesh has hosted more than 1.2 million members of the community.

He called for the “continued support of the international community” for the Rohingya in carrying out humanitarian operations, as well as their repatriation to their homeland.

“Equally important is to ensure justice for the grave human rights violations committed against the Rohingyas, through the ongoing accountability processes” at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, said Yunus, who was appointed last month to lead a transitional government in Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh is ready to work with the international community to create an environment for dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to their homeland,” he added.

- Conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine

Turning to the ongoing "genocide in Gaza," Yunus said it was a concern not just for Arabs and Muslims, but rather all of humanity.

“Palestinians are no expendable people,” he said, calling for immediate and complete cease-fire.

On the Russia-Ukraine war, the Bangladeshi leader said it “impacted far and wide, even lending deeper economic implications in Bangladesh.”

“We would urge both sides to pursue dialogue to resolve the differences and end the war,” he said.

- 'New Bangladesh'

Yunus also mentioned the student-led uprising in his country that last month ended the 15-year rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“We believe, the ‘monsoon revolution’ that the world witnessed in Bangladesh in the span of few weeks, may inspire many across communities and countries, to stand for freedom and justice,” he said.

“I would call upon the international community to engage with ‘new Bangladesh’ that aims to realize freedom and democracy, beyond letters, for everyone,” he added.

At least 708 people, mostly civilians, were killed in weeks of protests against the rule of the Hasina-led Awami League party before she fled Bangladesh on Aug. 5 and Yunus was named as transitional government head.