Issues with refugee repatriation

ON Oct 30, Bangladesh and Myanmar reached an agreement to begin the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who fled to Bangladesh to escape a Myanmar army crackdown last year.

Since then, the international community has had a divided opinion on the issue. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other rights groups criticise the agreement. UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic has warned that the conditions in Rakhine state are “not yet conducive for returns” and that “it is critical that returns are not rushed or premature.”