'They have their own identity': Dhaka rejects Myanmar's 'Bengali' label for Rohingyas

Highlights:

• Bangladesh says Myanmar's figures on the displaced Rohingya population are inaccurate.
• Dhaka urges Myanmar to expedite verification, including children born in Bangladesh and post-2017 arrivals.
• Myanmar ambassador pledges to convey Bangladesh's concerns and speed up verification of Rohingyas for repatriation.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed today (18 August) said Bangladesh does not agree with Myanmar's description of Rohingyas as "Bengalis," as they have their own identity and will return to Myanmar with that identity.

Speaking after her meeting with Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh U Kyaw Soe Moe, the state minister said, "We certainly do not agree with that," referring to Myanmar's position.

She also said Bangladesh was working to build international pressure on both the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army to facilitate the repatriation of Rohingyas, reports BBC Bangla.

Her remarks came after Bangladesh objected to several points in a Myanmar Foreign Ministry statement issued on 15 August, which Dhaka said contained inaccurate figures on the number of forcibly displaced Rohingyas.

Earlier in the day, Md Toufiq-ur-Rahman, director general (Myanmar) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conveyed Bangladesh's concerns over the statement during a meeting with the Myanmar ambassador, reports BSS.

He said the figures cited by Myanmar on the displaced Rohingya population were inaccurate and that the number of Rohingyas registered under the UN system reflected the correct figures.

Bangladesh also urged Myanmar to expedite the verification of displaced Rohingyas in line with the agreed bilateral arrangements, he added.

Toufiq-ur-Rahman stressed that the verification should include children born in the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh as well as those who fled Rakhine State after 2017.

Bangladesh is currently registering the additional arrivals, he said. Information on Rohingyas beyond the existing caseload of 828,824 will be shared with Myanmar in due course, he added, urging Myanmar to incorporate the additional information into the verification process.

Seeking pressure on Myanmar

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama said Bangladesh was maintaining communication with the Myanmar government because it wanted to start the repatriation process.

"International pressure must be exerted on the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army. We have always been saying this clearly, and it comes up in our discussions as well," she added.

She also said Bangladesh wanted to maintain trust in the Myanmar government while also urging the international community to put greater pressure on Naypyidaw -- the administrative capital of Myanmar.

Bangladesh had sheltered the Rohingyas in 2017 on humanitarian and human rights grounds, she said.

Referring to international efforts, Shama said China had also assured Bangladesh that it would put substantial pressure on Myanmar to help advance the repatriation process.

Asked why Bangladesh had not publicly protested Myanmar's 15 August statement that the Rohingya repatriation issue should be resolved through bilateral talks rather than international pressure, Shama said not every disagreement needed to be addressed through a public protest.

"Just because everything is not publicly announced or protested does not mean there is no effort towards a solution," she added.

Myanmar pledges faster verification

During Today's meeting, Ambassador Soe Moe assured Toufiq-ur-Rahman that he would convey Bangladesh's concerns and observations to his government.

He also expressed Myanmar's commitment to expedite the verification process with a view to beginning the repatriation of verified Rohingyas.

Bangladesh has reiterated that the only sustainable solution to the protracted crisis is the safe, dignified and voluntary repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine State.