Other nations also have responsibility to shelter Rohingyas floating at Bay

Referring to international community's continuous call on Bangladesh to shelter Rohingyas floating on boat at Bay, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said no other country in the region is being requested to share the burden in a similar way.

The foreign minister has urged all the countries to take effective steps quickly to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

He conveyed the message when British Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the United Nations Lord Tariq Ahmad made a phone call to him on Monday requesting Bangladesh to give shelter to floating Rohingyas at Bay.

"Despite limited resources, Bangladesh has already given shelter to around 1.1 million Rohingyas on humanitarian ground," the foreign minister said adding that the floating Rohingyas are not in Bangladesh territory.

Talking to UNB, a diplomat said it is the responsibility of surrounding countries of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea to share the responsibility and help the distressed people in the deep sea.

There are eight countries -- Myanmar, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Bangladesh -- in the Bay of Bengal region.

Momen said he urged the UK Minister to take the floating Rohingyas, sending their Royal ship. 

The foreign minister also said other countries of the world should take 1.1 million Rohingyas and give them shelter in their respective countries.

The foreign minister said military operation is still going on in Myanmar and Rohingya people are losing lives.

A few days ago, Rohingyas tried to enter Bangladesh territory and rest of the Rohingya people may try again to get into Bangladesh, Dr Momen said.

Despite this, he said, countries under the European Union are investing in Myanmar. "Human rights organisations are not vocal on these issues."

Earlier, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, sought greater coordination and responsibility-sharing by states to address the maritime movements of refugees and asylum-seekers in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.

UK SUPPORT FOR RMG SECTOR

Dr Momen urged the British minister to come forward to help the Bangladesh nationals abroad, saying many Bangladeshis in various countries including in the Middle East are suffering due to food crisis amid job cuts there.

Dr Momen sought UK's support so that export orders in the readymade garment sector are not cancelled and urged the UK to create special fund to keep exports order uninterrupted.

He informed the UK minister that Bangladesh will send medical support to the UK as gift to deal with the challenges of coronavirus.