Bangladesh to repatriate displaced people to Myanmar

Yangon, Aug 20 (IANS) A total of 3,450 verified displaced people are expected to be repatriated to Myanmar from Bangladesh on Thursday, prompting the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to request Myanmar to access the resettlement sites, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said here on Tuesday.

The repatriation will be made in accordance with the bilateral agreements between Myanmar and Bangladesh and an MoU on cooperation between Myanmar and the UNHCR and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) signed on June 6, 2018, Xinhua news agency.

Under the MoU between Myanmar and the UNHCR, the UN organization could propose related assistance to provide for the resettlement of the returnees on their return to the country.

The MoU was extended for another one year on May 28, 2019.

Under the MoU, the Myanmar government has allowed UNHCR and UNDP to conduct independent field assessments in over 80 villages as of July 13 and to implement 34 quick impact projects as of September 5 in order to benefit all communities and the potential returnees.

Myanmar vowed to ensure voluntary, safe and dignified repatriation in receiving returnees from Bangladesh, urging the UNHCR to continue assisting the repatriation process for those who really want to return back to Rakhine state.

The Myanmar government has also been inviting cooperation from home and the international community to help the country rebuild and resettle the conflict-torn western state.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) extremists launched repeated attacks on police outposts in Rakhine state on August 25, 2017, displacing a vast number of residents to areas bordering Bangladesh.