Data collection for Rohingya repatriation begins Sunday

Bangladesh is set to take necessary steps for Rohingya repatriating from next week, said an official familiar with the process on Thursday.

Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said he had received forms earlier this week and would lead a committee for collecting required data by Myanmar.

In late November, the two neighboring countries agreed to begin the repatriation process of Rohingya refugees to their home state of Rakhine by January 22.

“Hopefully, we can start collecting data sought in the repatriation form from Sunday,” said Kalam.

Staff will be employed to this end, he said while talking BenarNews, a Radio Free Asia-affiliated online news service.

We have already formed a nine-member technical committee to collect the data regarding the potential returnees.

Kalam also informed the committee includes members from the home ministry, disaster management ministry, bureau of statics and other relevant departments of the government.

“We maintain a database of the Myanmar nationals entering Bangladesh. We will match the data collected with the database before handing the filled forms over to the Myanmar,” he said.

Actual repatriation will begin after the Myanmar government verifies the data including name, age, gender, parents, children and home village.

Bangladesh officials are expected to hand over around 100,000 Rohingyas in the first phase.