Bangladesh leader: Prolonged Rohingya stay impacts stability

By JULHAS ALAM
Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, says the prolonged stay of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh has become a serious security and stability concern. She made the comment at a meeting in Dhaka of military officials from 24 countries in the Indo-Pacific region. While participants are discussing disaster management, transnational crime, security issues and women’s empowerment, Bangladesh is using the event to highlight the issue of Rohingya refugees who have fled from violence in Myanmar. Bangladeshi officials have expressed frustration after at least two attempts to repatriate the refugees have failed. The Muslim Rohingya say that conditions remain too dangerous in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they face extensive discrimination.