The return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar has again stalled after Bangladesh and Myanmar officials failed to fix a start date for actual repatriation.
A Joint Working Group responsible for overseeing the repatriation of Rohingya refugees held its second meeting in four months in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, but were unable to agree on a date to begin any repatriation efforts.
Fifteen officials from Bangladesh and Myanmar attended last week’s meeting.
“This type of repatriation is always complex and difficult,” Shahidul Haque Bangladesh Foreign Secretary told reporters after the meeting. “But there is no difference of opinion that the repatriation should happen,” he said. “Both the sides feel that the repatriation should be done quickly.”
Deal
Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation deal in November last year. The process was set to begin in January but Bangladesh postponed citing a lack of preparations on its behalf.
The Bangladeshis have given Myanmar a list of more than 8,000 refugees but no Rohingya have yet been repatriated.
The third Joint Working Group meeting will be held in Naypyidaw but no date or venue had been fixed.