Bangladesh said on Monday that a decision on giving the Rohingya people official refugee status will be taken only after talks with Myanmar. Indicating that bilateral talks will be held with Myanmar, Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Shah Kamal told the media: “Their status will be reconsidered if this turns into a long-term situation. But this is not the time to think about it.”
The statement came after a meeting of the Ministry with the visiting UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Monday.
Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury on Monday reiterated the country’s stance that the Rohinhya will have to go back to Myanmar. “We have made it clear from the very beginning...This is Myanmar’s issue and they will have to solve it.”
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Also, the United Nations on Monday warned of growing humanitarian needs amongst the Rohingya refugees, seeking urgent funding to meet their life-saving needs.
The Rohingya, about 4,50,000 of whom have come to Bangladesh, are settled in overcrowded camps and makeshift settlements where there is very limited access to basic services such as food, clean water and shelters, the statement said.