A high-profile delegation of the UN Security Council on Sunday visited Kutupalong Rohingya camp and listened to tales of brutalities from Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh following army crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, reports UNB.
Earlier in the morning, they witnessed the situation on the ground and interacted with Rohingyas living on zero line at Tambru border point of Naikkhangchhari area in Bandarban.
During their interaction at different levels, the delegation members assured all of taking effective steps to help resolve the Rohingya crisis.
The team, led by UNSC president for the month of April Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday afternoon.
Ahead of the visit, an international analyst told UNB that Bangladesh needs to provide “strong and unassailable evidence” backed up by documents to make its case before the UN Security Council delegation.
“Of course, the refugees are incontrovertible proof of persecution and ethnic cleansing, but thus far it hasn’t been enough,” Ali Riaz, a distinguished professor of Political Science, Illinois State University, USA.
He said the UN should understand it has a stake, too. “Thus far, it has failed [to deal with] Rohingya refugees. It’ is unconscionable and it cannot be continued any longer.”
Professor Riaz said, “Hopefully, the cycle of inaction will be broken.”
Bangladesh is stressing the need for keeping up pressure on Myanmar from different levels for resolving the Rohingya crisis, an official said, adding that the government remained engaged globally.
The UNSC team is scheduled to leave Cox’s Bazar for Dhaka at 3:30pm on Sunday.
They are scheduled to meet prime minister Sheikh Hasina at Gonobhaban at 9:30am on Monday and will leave Dhaka at 10:30am for Myanmar.
State minister for foreign affairs M Shahriar Alam is expected to host a reception in honour of the UNSC team at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden on Sunday evening.
The UN Security Council is composed of 15 members with five permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States — and 10 non-permanent members.
Over 700,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh, and the influx, though reduced in recent weeks, continues despite Myanmar’s assurances of stopping violence in Rakhine.
