Japan mulls taking in some Rohingya to reduce burden on Bangladesh

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Japan is considering taking in some Rohingya refugees in order to reduce the burden on Bangladesh, which is currently hosting over one million refugees, the majority of whom are living in claustrophobic camps in the southern border district of Cox's Bazar after fleeing their native Myanmar in 2017.

Japanese Ambassador to Dhaka Ito Naoki said in an interview with a state-run news agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), on Wednesday that Tokyo had received a request from the UN refugee agency to settle Rohingya in Japan.

The statement comes just days after 24 Rohingya refugees flew from Bangladesh to the US to formally settle in any third country.

"Japan has received your government's request for third-country resettlement, and UNHCR here is also advising us to consider the possibility," Naomi is quoted as saying by the BSS.

Earlier on Thursday, 24 Rohingya refugees were flown to the US after Bangladesh finalized 62 Rohingya for transfer to a third country in the first phase as Washington agreed to accept some refugees.

Though many Rohingya people have already been settled in different countries through different channels, this is the formal initiative to settle the refugees in any third country.

Bangladesh is currently hosting over 1.2 million Rohingya, the majority of whom fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State on Aug. 25, 2017.

Several initiatives of the Bangladeshi government for the peaceful and dignified repatriation of Rohingya to their homeland have failed due to alleged noncooperation by Myanmar's military junta.

In light of the looming uncertainty in the repatriation process, Bangladesh has asked developed countries to share the burden of Rohingya with it.

"While the uncertainty of repatriation frustrates us, the initiative of settling us in third countries, particularly in developed countries, is good news for us and will keep our hope of dignified survival alive," Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, an educated Rohingya youth at Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar, told Anadolu Agency.