Hasina says her country can not afford to accommodate more refugees
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has told Al Jazeera that her country cannot afford to accomodate more Rohingya Muslim refugees fleeing persecution in neighbouring Myanmar.
During an interview to Al Jazeera in London on Friday Hasina said this.
Sheikh Hasina defended the policy, saying is already overpopulated. There are already about 300,000 Rohingya living in refugee camps in the country.
Hasina said that it is not her country's responsibility to help all of the refugees.
Here is the interview posted by Al Jazeera on its website:
Hasina: It is upto their government, so you should put pressure or you should talk to the Myanmar government not to Bangladesh. It is not the Bangladesh people's responsibility, right?
Al Jazeera: These are people in a desperate humanitarian situation and surely there are basic principles, human principles, moral principles, that compel you to help them.
Hasina: Bangladesh is already an overpopulated country, we cannot bear this burden. You should realise that. But now things are okay. Things are improving, so no refugees are coming.
Al Jazeera: But in the last two months, we have seen the pictures ourselves, Bangladeshi guards physically turning people back, returning them to danger…
Hasina: No, listen, listen, Bangladeshi guards, they behaved humanitarianly; they provided food for them, medicine for them, they provided money and they just allowed them to return to their own home.
Al jjazeera: Not allow but they forced them to return….
Hasina: No, it is not true. They did not force them, rather they pursued them that, 'you should go back to your own country,' and they went back.
Al Jazeera: PM, you know full well that they are being persecuted in their own country, they tried to run away and they were refused entry to your country.
Hasina: Well, why we should allow to enter our country? We just pursue them, and we provided them all, everything what they needed. Why you are asking these questions? You should ask these questions to the Myanmar government. It is not our responsibility, it is their responsibility.
Al Jazeera: And have you ever expressed concern to the government of Myanmar about how the Rohingya are treated in Arakan province?
Hasina: Of course, we do.
Al Jazeera: And what do they say?
Hasina: Well, they are creating congenial atmosphere, they are providing all the assistance everything.
Al Jazeera: Do you actually believe that?
Hasina: Yes, why not?
Al Jazeera: Do you think, the Rohingya are treated fairly in Arakan province?
Hasina: Ah, I told you that it is their citizen! So, it is upto them.
Source here
Comments
I admire the prime minister of Bangladesh,
because I understand what she understands and appreciates ..
thank you prime minister Sheik Hasinah ..
Rohingya problem not the solution of long time
until when will be solve it?
so what will she do.
the best thing is the future of the Rohingya society
from the beginning and she was the same in my opinion.
we can not urge the government of Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheik Hasinah asserting what is true ...
Rohingya problem is not a problem of Bangladesh ..
why she rejected?
there are also some reasons.
that she know everything about this Rohingya minority
Myanmar government is persecuting them
you can only ask the question of humanity alone,
even then raise the problem is bigger than now ..
Her opinion is the future of society itself will be able to benefit Rohingya as other Myanmar people.
therefore to reject the government of Bangladesh.
consider what I comen .................. I am sorry
because of differences of opinion is only my opinion that has long.