The Government of Bangladesh announced on July 13 the formation of an 11-member National Strategy Formulation Committee on Rohingya Affairs to develop a national strategy aimed at ensuring the safe and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
According to the government, the committee will be chaired by Interim Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and will oversee the formulation and implementation of national policies related to Rohingya repatriation.
The committee includes senior officials from the ministries responsible for home affairs, foreign affairs, finance, planning, and defence, as well as the heads of key security agencies, including Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), National Security Intelligence (NSI), the Bangladesh Coast Guard, and other relevant institutions.
The Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division will serve as the chief coordinator, while the Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) will act as the committee's member-secretary.
Under the supervision of the chief coordinator, a special board will be established to prepare the National Strategy on Rohingya Affairs. According to the government, the board has been given 90 days to complete the strategy and submit it to the national committee.
The government said the strategy will clearly define the responsibilities of ministries and public agencies involved in the repatriation process, strengthen coordination among relevant institutions, and support long-term planning for Rohingya repatriation.
More than one million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar continue to live in refugee camps in Bangladesh. However, large-scale voluntary repatriation has yet to begin, as the United Nations has repeatedly stated that conditions in Myanmar's Rakhine State are not yet conducive to the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees.
The newly formed committee will also be responsible for identifying priority issues related to repatriation, monitoring the implementation of the national strategy, and coordinating the work of government agencies involved in the repatriation process.
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