Exclusive: Bangladesh under 'no obligation' to accept stranded Rohingya refugees - minister

FILE PHOTO: Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A. K. Abdul Momen speaks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (not pictured) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China July 5, 2019. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh is under "no obligation" to shelter 81 Rohingya Muslim refugees adrift for almost two weeks on the Andaman Sea and being assisted by neighbouring India, said Bangladesh foreign minister A.K. Abdul Momen.

India's coast guard found the 81 survivors and eight dead crammed onto a crippled fishing boat and were trying to arrange for Bangladesh to take them, Indian officials said on Friday.