Staff Reporter:
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Seheli Sabrin said that the Myanmar troops who took refuge in Bangladesh will be sent back soon.
She said this at the weekly briefing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
“We are in regular contact with the Myanmar embassy in Dhaka and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar. The Myanmar government has already expressed interest in taking back its security personnel. Now discussions are underway for their safe repatriation as soon as possible,” she said.
Responding to a question, Seheli Sabrin said, “The ongoing conflict in Myanmar is their internal matter. However, as a result of the latest conflict, contact with Myanmar has been reinforced to ensure that the people, property, and sovereignty of Bangladesh are not threatened in any way.”
The spokesperson said bilateral, trilateral, regional, and multilateral efforts are also underway to initiate voluntary and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas at a convenient time.
Bangladesh is alert about this matter, and the country is maintaining constant communication with the United Nations Security Council in this regard, the spokesperson added.
Bangladesh wants to see peace, prosperity, and stability in Myanmar as a neighbouring country, she said.
When asked about why the Myanmar security personnel were allowed to enter Bangladesh, the spokesperson said that the Myanmar security personnel were provided shelter in Bangladesh as per international law, and they surrendered their weapons to our border guards immediately after their entry.
Providing shelter to the Rohingyas and providing shelter to the security personnel are not the same thing, she added.
Myanmar wants to take the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) members back by sea, but why do we want to send them by air?
Responding to this question, the spokesperson said the safe and speedy repatriation of sheltered BGP members is the priority. It is not a matter of concern whether they will be sent back by air or sea.
