Myanmar has declared that 180,000 Rohingya refugees currently sheltering in Bangladesh are eligible for repatriation, marking a potential breakthrough in the long-stalled process.
According to a press release issued by the Press Wing of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser from Bangkok on Friday, the announcement came during a sideline meeting at the BIMSTEC Summit. Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister U Than Shwe shared the update with Khalilur Rahman, High Representative on Rohingya Affairs and Priority Issues of the Chief Adviser.
Myanmar officials stated that an additional 70,000 Rohingya are currently undergoing verification through photo and name matching, and they have pledged to complete the verification process of the remaining 550,000 on the list swiftly.
Bangladesh had handed over a list of approximately 800,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar in six phases between 2018 and 2020. This is the first time Myanmar has responded with a list of those deemed eligible for return, a development hailed by Dhaka as a “significant step forward” in resolving the protracted crisis.
During the meeting, High Representative Khalilur Rahman also expressed condolences to Myanmar for the victims of the recent earthquake and affirmed Bangladesh’s readiness to extend further humanitarian assistance.
The potential repatriation could be a key step in addressing the plight of the Rohingya community, most of whom fled persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State and have since lived in overcrowded refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
LND/BG
