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The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) on Monday adopted a resolution urging the repatriation of the Rohingya people in Myanmar.
The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to Geneva has said in a media statement that the resolution titled "Human Rights Situation in Myanmar" was adopted at the current session of the assembly.
“Myanmar has been called to establish an appropriate setting to encourage the Rohingya to return to their country with complete security and dignity in a bilateral agreement with Bangladesh,” it read.
The resolution further called upon countries to continue providing support in this regard until the repatriation is complete and praised Bangladesh for providing the Rohingya people with refuge.
Bangladesh shelters nearly 1.1 million Rohingya in camps at Cox’s Bazar since mass exodus in August 2017 in the face of threat from Myanmar army, reports bdnews24.com.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration reached an agreement with Myanmar government towards the end of 2017 for their repatriation but not a single refugee has gone back.
Bangladesh with support from the international aid agencies have provided the Rohingya people a sanctuary in camps in Cox’s Bazar.
In the current session of the UN General Assembly, the proposal prevailed by 37 to two votes among 47 member countries. The eight other countries abstained from voting.
Shameem Ahsan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, in the session said: “The Prime Minister provided temporary sanctuary to the persecuted Rohingya people on grounds of humanity.
“But a lasting and acceptable solution can be reached only by letting them return to their homeland willingly, with dignity, ensuring their safety and security,” he added.
“Bringing about accountability and justice for the Rohingya people who went through unspeakable sufferings will set a milestone… play an important role help to ensure their citizenship, help establish democracy and human rights in Myanmar.”
The resolution included calling upon cooperation from Myanmar to approve entries of special human rights reporters into Rakhine and other regions of the country under the United Nation’s ‘independent investigation process’.