Staff Reporter:
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam yesterday said resolving the protracted Roh-ingya crisis is a political and moral responsibility that the international community must collec-tively bear, stressing that Bangladesh cannot be left alone to bear the burden.
“Bangladesh will continue to stand with them, but Bangladesh should not have to stand alone,” she said.
“That is not merely a humanitarian imperative. It is a political responsibility. It is a moral respon-sibility, and it is a responsibility that the international community must shoulder together,” Shama said.
The state minister made the remarks while addressing a dialogue as the chief guest titled “Rohing-ya Crisis Entering 10 Years: From Humanitarian Response to Sustainable Solutions”, jointly orga-nized by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) and Oxfam in Bangla-desh here yesterday.
Calling the Rohingya crisis’ approaching 10-year mark a moment for “reflection”, “reckoning” and, most importantly, “renewed action”, Shama warned against allowing another decade to pass with-out a sustainable solution.
Since the massive influx in 2017, Shama said, Bangladesh has kept its borders and hearts open and is now sheltering more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas despite its own development challenges, limited land and high population density.
She said hosting such a large displaced population has put enormous pressure on Bangladesh’s infrastructure, environment, public services and host communities, but the country continues to provide food, shelter, healthcare, education and protection as a humanitarian and moral responsi-bility.
Bangladesh’s humanitarian generosity, however, must not become an excuse for international in-action, she said.
“Bangladesh can provide shelter. Bangladesh can provide humanitarian assistance. Bangladesh can help preserve dignity, but Bangladesh cannot resolve the crisis that Bangladesh did not cre-ate,” Shama said.
Earlier, DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and Oxfam in Bangladesh Interim Country Director Anil Pant delivered opening remarks.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, European Union Ambassador and Head of Delegation Michael Mil-ler, Chinese Deputy Chief of Mission Liu Yuyin, IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission Dr Laura Tomm-Bonde, Centre for Alternatives Executive Director Professor Imtiaz Ahmed and Cox’s Bazar Civil Society President Abu Murshed Chowdhury, and DCAB general secretary Emrul Kayesh, among others, addressed the dialogue.
The program also featured presentations on a decade of the Rohingya crisis and WASH systems, risk and resilience in the Rohingya response, a documentary screening, a book launch and a tech-nical panel discussion.
