A SENIOR Bangladesh official has called for a stronger Asean role in helping the Rohingya refugees and praised Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for speaking out on the issue.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is “absolutely” in a position to make Myanmar change its policies against the Rohingya people, Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told Bernama in New Delhi.

“Malaysia within Asean has been very vocal, particularly Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. We hope that he will continue to put pressure on Myanmar,” he said.

Bangladesh hosts 1.1 million Rohingya refugees who fled there to escape violence and oppression in Rakhine state more than two years ago.

Most are unwilling to go back to Myanmar until they are given the guarantee of citizenship and protection against further repression.

Dr Mahathir, in a recent interview with Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, said that Rohingya refugees “should either be treated as nationals (of Myanmar), or they should be given their territory to form their own state.”

The Bangladesh Foreign Secretary said his country wants the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union (EU) to help it in finding a solution to the humanitarian crisis.

“We are asking all our friends to come and help us,” he said.

The Rohingya issue figured during talks in New Delhi on Saturday between Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

“The two prime ministers agreed on the need to expedite safe, speedy and sustainable repatriation of the displaced persons to their homes in the Rakhine State of Myanmar,” according to a joint statement.

The two leaders agreed “on the need for greater efforts to be made to facilitate their return, including by improving security situation and socio-economic conditions” in Rakhine. – Bernama, October 6, 2019.