- Ought to assist Bangladesh till the Rohingya issue is resolved.
- Bangladesh is effectively managing the Rohingya population.
According to Brazilian Ambassador Paulo Fernando Dias Feres, if the situation is not resolved, it is certain to worsen, as there are currently 1.1 million Rohingya refugees seeking asylum in Bangladesh and more than 5,000 births occur annually in the camps.
Responding to inquiries about bilateral ties, regional, and global challenges, the ambassador addressed the gathering chaired by DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib. Ashiqur Rahman Apu, General Secretary of DCAB, also gave a speech.
“We kept it (Rohingya) under the attention of the Security Council when we presided over it. We said this is important for them. So don’t drop it, don’t let it go away,” the ambassador said.
“We believe that repatriation is the best course of action to address the issue. This cannot be resolved in any other way. We recognize that this is a major issue for the nation, which currently has 1.1 million residents and 5,000 births annually. That being said, in the event that a definitive solution is not found, the problem is likely to worsen.
From a humanitarian perspective, what other course of action would you take? In my opinion, Bangladesh is handling the Rohingyas quite well. Bangladesh is acting appropriately, in my opinion. Furthermore, this won’t be overlooked in the future.
He remarked, “I think all the help you are giving them adds to the country’s credentials when the situation normalizes.”
“There is the conflict in Ukraine. The Middle East conflict is one of them. Right now, there are a lot of overlapping crises. You are aware that people frequently focus on a few while forgetting about the others.
Indo-Pacific, BRI
The question about China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the US’s Indo-Pacific strategy was also addressed by the ambassador.
China has launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) across the region to assist nations in building infrastructure, while the US is pursuing the Indo-Pacific strategy in the area. It shows them at odds with one another.
When questioned, the ambassador responded, “We haven’t stated any loud and clear position on any of this.”
“We are witnessing what is happening,” he continued, noting that “the powers are acting out their game while they are in motion. It has repercussions. This is just my opinion.
“Everything hinges on how the US’s relationship with China develops. You know, there’s always speculation of a potential conflict between China and the United States. It’s going to be a horrible one, so I hope they don’t make it there,” he remarked.
“However, if you take into account all the possibilities, the real possibility, my opinion is that, like, it’s not going to happen, at least not in the near term,” he stated. “This is because there are many forces to counter this kind of confrontation, and both China and the United States are currently facing difficulties.”