Rohingya repatriation postponed to next month: Bangladeshi official

DHAKA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) — The gradual repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar may be postponed to next month for various reasons including transit camps and verification processes, a Bangladeshi official has said.
“We need one more month to finalize all relevant preparations required to send back Rohingya to Myanmar,” Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Abul Kalam told Xinhua Thursday.
At least two transit camps are being constructed for emergency use during the Rohingya repatriation to Rakhine state of Myanmar, said Kalam.
At least 640,000 Rohingya people in Myanmar have fled to neighboring Bangladesh in the face of ethno-religiously based attacks since last August.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have signed three deals on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.
According to the initial agreement on Nov. 23 last year, both governments would arrange for the voluntary return in “safety, security and dignity with options for recommencing livelihood” after the displaced had been verified as Myanmar residents.
Myanmar has agreed to accept 1,500 Rohingya refugees each week and house them in temporary transit camps.
Kalam said Bangladesh is putting its best efforts to hasten the entire repatriation process as early as possible by preparing paperwork for returning refugees and building camps.
“We’ve expedited preparing family-based list of the Rohingya refugees in coordination with the UNHCR for handing over to Myanmar for verification and repatriation under the first phases.”
In line with the agreement, he said, Bangladesh must give a list of prospective returnees and duly filled verification forms to Myanmar for smooth verification process at least four weeks before the scheduled repatriation date.
“We need time because we want to ensure that all the same family members or people from the same village can leave together for Myanmar.”
Kalam said it was not immediately clear whether a new commencement date would be set.
Since the agreement was signed on Nov. 23 last year with a timeframe to start repatriation within two months, it was assumed that the repatriation of Rohingya refugees will start on Jan. 23, he said.
“Things are not easy. It takes time. We can’t send them haphazardly.”
An official who preferred to be unnamed told Xinhua that Bangladesh will send a delegation to Rakhine state to see Myanmar’s preparations for the Rohingya repatriation.  Enditem