The second meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG), dedicated to overseeing the repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar, has begun in Dhaka city, aiming to expedite the verification and repatriation process of Rohingyas.
Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and his Myanmar counterpart Permanent Secretary at Myanmar Foreign Ministry Myint Thu are leading their respective sides at the meeting began at the state guest house Meghna at 11:00am on Thursday.
The JWG held the first meeting in Myanmar onJanuary 15, according to a UNB report.
Bangladesh is expected to "give a push" for expediting the verification and Rohingya repatriation process at the meeting as little progress has been observed in this regard since the handover of the first Rohingya list to Myanmar.
Officials said Bangladesh handed over a list of 1,673 Rohingya families (8,032 individuals) to Myanmar on February 16 to start the first phase of repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine state.
Myanmar, in several steps, has so far verified less than 900 Rohingyas out of 8,032 names of Rohingyas.
"We'll raise all issues related to repatriation," Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammed Abul Kalam said.
Bangladesh signed the repatriation agreement with Myanmar on November 23 last.
On 16 January this year, a document on physical arrangement was also signed to facilitate the Rohingya return.
The physical arrangement stipulates that the repatriation will be completed preferably within two years from its start.
Now Bangladesh has such a large number of Rohingyas that it is far more than Bhutan's entire population.
Bhutan has around 0.8 million people, whereas Bangladesh now gives shelter to some 1.2 million Rohingyas.
