Int’l community urged to ensure Myanmar doesn’t use border tensions to thwart Rohingya repatriation

Bangladesh has sought support and necessary steps from the international community to ensure that Myanmar does not thwart Rohingya repatriation by cashing in on the ongoing border tensions.

"We told them [diplomats] that we seek your help so that Myanmar cannot take advantage by destabilising the border situation and refrain from taking back the Rohingyas," acting Foreign Secretary Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam told reporters on Tuesday after a meeting with Dhaka-stationed diplomats at state guesthouse Padma.

Khurshed Alam said Dhaka demanded an immediate cessation of the "unwarranted" firing from Myanmar, noting that the severe fighting along Bangladesh's Bandarban border had threatened cattle, barred locals from going to their farmlands, and caused some to flee their homes.

"We cannot allow this to continue," he told the media briefing.

On Monday, Bangladesh foreign ministry briefed the mission heads of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) nations and conveyed its concerns over possible instability in the region centring the escalating tensions at the border. However, no diplomat representing Myanmar was present at the briefing on Monday.

Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's position, the acting foreign secretary on Tuesday said they are working with a lot of patience and tolerance; and Bangladesh did not do anything that might cause Myanmar's mortar shells landing inside Bangladesh territory.

"...We are not stepping into any provocations from the Myanmar side. We no way want to get involved in it," he said.

Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam said the diplomats appreciated Bangladesh's position of "not stepping into Myanmar's traps".

According to Dhaka, Bangladesh does not want to give Myanmar any chance that could be used as an excuse to thwart the repatriation of more than 11 lakh Rohingyas, who are now staying in camps in southern Bangladesh. They took shelter in Bangladesh in the wake of a military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017.

In two separate briefings, Bangladesh conveyed to the diplomats that not a single Rohingya had been taken back over the last five years.

The diplomats assured Bangladesh of conveying their concerns to their capitals and help Bangladesh if they have anything to do to raise the issue at the United Nations.

Responding to a question regarding Myanmar blaming the Arakan Army and ARSA for mortar shells landing in Bangladesh, the acting foreign secretary said the Myanmar side always makes the same claims.

Khurshed Also, also the secretary at Maritime Affairs Unit of the foreign ministry, ruled out Myanmar's such claims.

The secretary said Bangladesh is maintaining communications with Myanmar at all levels apart from reaching to the international community.

In April last year, ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on handling the Myanmar crisis had been agreed at the ASEAN Leaders Meeting (ALM) in Jakarta. The consensus included an immediate end to violence in the country and dialogue among the parties.

But Myanmar's junta has spent the past year committing atrocities in utter disregard for its commitments to ASEAN, according to the Human Rights Watch.

The foreign ministry on Sunday summoned the Myanmar envoy for the fourth time since August and lodged a strong protest against the incidents of shelling from Myanmar, indiscriminate aerial firings on border-side areas, human fatalities and serious injuries and damages to properties and livelihood.

The Myanmar envoy claimed the mortar shells that landed in Bangladesh were not fired by the Myanmar army. Those were actually fired by the rebel Arakan Army (ARSA).

On Monday, Myanmar provided an explanation to Bangladesh Ambassador to Myanmar Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury. The Myanmar version of the shelling incidents also claimed the ARSA is responsible for the border tensions.