'Rohingya issue surfaced to divert attention from war trial' By Prof Mizanur Rahman

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman on Saturday claimed that some 'intellectuals' have been talking in favour of Rohingyas at present to divert people's attention from the war crimes trial.

Those intellectuals have been trying to put the government in the dock for barring the Rohingyas from entering into the country, the NHRC chief said.

He also slammed the intellectuals, who attended a dialogue and conveyed their support for providing shelter to the Rohingyas during the programme.




Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) organised the programme titled 'Dialogue on Economic Migrants or Asylum Seekers? Rohingyas in Bangladesh' held at Cirdap auditorium.

The NHRC chairman supported the government's stance on the Rohingyas issue saying, �The stance was not wrong.�

The NHRC boss also claimed that a vast quarter of Rohingyas were used politically for Ramu violence.


He also termed the international community�s pressure on Bangladesh instead of Myanmar for allowing the Rohingyas as �unacceptable�.

"Powerful countries are playing double game on this issue for their own interest," he said.

"We must consider the humanitarian side in regard of Rohingyas issue, but we have to keep our sovereignty above all this matter," he said.

Echoing Mizanur Rahman, Prof Asif Nazrul, a Dhaka University teacher who was present on the occasion, said Bangladesh government should propose the United Nations to pressure Myanmar to settle the Rohingya problem.


Eminent lawyer Shahdin Malik however said, though some Rohingyas had been used for political purpose in previous time but the government should not refrain from giving shelter to the Rohingyas showing the excuse.

Thedailystar.net