UN envoy Julie Bishop raises concerns over landmines and human and drug trafficking along the Myanmar border during talks with Bangladesh's home minister on the Rohingya crisis and repatriation.
DHAKA, October 19: The UN secretary-general’s special envoy on Myanmar Julie Isabel Bishop has expressed concern over landmines and the spread of human and drug trafficking along the Myanmar border.
She raised the concerns during a courtesy meeting with Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at his office in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday afternoon.
The meeting also discussed Myanmar’s ongoing conflict, the Rohingya crisis and the prospects for repatriating displaced people, according to a press release from the Home Ministry.
Bishop outlined the conflict situation in Myanmar and said she was continuing diplomatic engagement with all relevant parties to help end the fighting and ensure the protection of civilians.
She also stressed the need to create an environment conducive to political dialogue and cooperation to facilitate the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Rohingyas to their homeland.
The home minister said Bangladesh had been facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis by sheltering hundreds of thousands of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals fleeing conflict in their country.
He called on the international community to play a more effective role in securing a lasting and sustainable solution to the crisis.
Senior officials from the Home Ministry, the UN and the UN refugee agency UNHCR attended the meeting.
Those present included Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, additional secretary of the Home Ministry’s Political and Immigration Wing; Rebecca Khan, joint secretary of the Political-1 section; Carol Flore-Smereczniak, UN resident coordinator; Duncan Keith Wilson, senior political affairs officer; and Juliette Murekeyisoni, deputy representative of UNHCR.
