Seeking a solution to the Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh has called for solidarity and cooperation with each other to achieve peace and security in Asia, making it a harmonious region of lasting peace and common prosperity.

“We believe that peace and security in Asia can be achieved through dialogue and cooperation, where all states coexist peacefully and their people live in peace, freedom and prosperity,” said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday.

Dr Momen made the call while delivering his statement at the Special Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). The Foreign Ministers of CICA Member States and Observer States took part in it.

He said the Asian countries should carry forward the solidarity and cooperative spirit of helping each other in difficult times, promote the CICA agenda, enhance political and security dialogues and cooperation, and strengthen mutual trust.

“In this confidence-building conference of CICA, you’ll agree with me that it’s time for Myanmar to interact with their displaced people for confidence-building measures for a meaningful and durable solution,” Dr Momen said.

The Foreign Minister said Myanmar’s stability and economic growth could be negatively affected if Rohingya problem is not resolved. “This problem has been created by Myanmar and solution also lies with Myanmar.”

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Despite the threat to Bangladesh economy, ecology, and overall societal impact, the country gave shelter, on a humanitarian ground, to nearly 1.1 million persecuted people fleeing massacre in Myanmar, their homeland.

Dr Momen said Bangladesh is keen on solving the crisis through constructive diplomacy with good neighbourly spirit.

“Myanmar is our friendly country and, therefore, Bangladesh signed three instruments with Myanmar for repatriation. Myanmar agreed to take them back after verification,” said the Foreign Minister.

Myanmar also agreed to create a conducive environment for their voluntary repatriation and they agreed to ensure safety and security of the displaced people.

“But, unfortunately till today, no one went back and instead of creating a conducive environment, fighting and shelling are going on in the Rakhine state,” said Dr Momen.

The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh’s fear is that, if this problem persists, it may lead to pockets of radicalism and since terrorists have no borders, no faith, there is a high possibility of creation of uncertainty in the region which may frustrate our hope for a peaceful, secure and stable region.

Dr Momen said not a single Rohingya went back to Myanmar for of lack of confidence building and trust deficit between the persecuted Rohingya and the Myanmar government.

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