All But Inevitable

All But Inevitable

- AKM Moinuddin

We should not be surprised that the repatriation of Rohingyas is unlikely to begin this month. In fact, Bangladesh did never say that it would start in January. Rather it was Myanmar and Myanmar media outlets which kept telling that the return of Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar would begin on January 23.

The number of Rohingya arrivals from Myanmar to Bangladesh since August 25 last year now stands at 688,000 indicating that Rohingyas are still coming despite a repatriation plan is in progress between the two countries. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) quoting its ‘Needs and Population Monitoring (NPM) Baseline survey’ came up with the figure. The UN migration agency, however, said the increase in the number is not as a result of a significant influx, but due to strengthened assessments.

We understand that repatriation is a complex issue. It is not such a task that can start immediately. Even Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, when approached, said he will not tell any date but the repatriation process has already started with the signing of physical arrangement. On January 16, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a document on ‘Physical Arrangement’ which will facilitate return of Rohingyas to their homeland from Bangladesh.

We know Bangladesh has been trying its level best to fulfil all the conditions required to start the repatriation on the ground. The government has already brought over a million Rohingyas under biometric registration. However, it is not yet clear whether the Myanmar government would use the list to repatriate the Rohingyas as the agreed verification form suggests counting a family as a unit.