POBNEWS24, Dhaka Jun 23, 2021: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the world community to help ensure that more than 1.1 million Rohingya refugees who have taken refuge in Bangladesh are repatriated with dignity and peace.
Referring to the Rohingya crisis, she said, “You must be aware that when more than 1.1 million Rohingya were forcibly displaced in Myanmar almost four years ago, Bangladesh sheltered them.” They pose a serious security risk to Bangladesh and the region as a whole. We sheltered them for humanitarian reasons. But it is not possible for us to give shelter to this large number of people indefinitely. ‘
The speech, recorded by the Prime Minister, was broadcast at the Ninth Moscow Conference on International Security for three days. The international conference started on June 21 on a virtual platform. In her speech, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh once again called on the international community to assist in the peaceful repatriation of Rohingyas with dignity.
“Peace and security cannot be ensured unless we take appropriate steps to liberate people from deprivation and exploitation and to ensure education and basic rights for all,” She added. The Prime Minister thanked the Government of the Russian Federation for hosting the conference and hoped that the conference would address urgent global and regional security issues.
Sheikh Hasina called for ensuring vaccines for all in the fight against COVID-19, providing humanitarian assistance to marginalized people, safe repatriation of Rohingya to their lands, stopping the financing and supply of weapons to terrorists and increasing cooperation among military agencies to ensure global security.
In this context, She said, ‘I welcome the recent ceasefire between Israel and Palestine. I hope there will be peace and stability in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. “
Noting that conflicts at home are exacerbating inter-country security problems, She said the definition of security now includes military risks to people, socio-economic and political needs, non-voluntary mass adaptation, environmental security and other new security risks.
Referring to Bangladesh’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ against Terrorism and Extremism, She said that new international security challenges and issues have emerged due to terrorism, extremism, separatism, weapons of mass destruction, cyber crime, regional conflicts and environmental catastrophe.
Referring to the Covid-19 epidemic as one of the global issues at present, the Prime Minister said that not only many people have died due to this epidemic, but it has also adversely affected the economy and millions of people around the world have lost their livelihood.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has adapted to the situation by ensuring health care for all and taking appropriate measures in various sectors.
