Bangladesh seeks German support for Rohingya safe zone in Myanmar

DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladesh transitional government chief Muhammad Yunus sought German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s support in creating a safe zone for Rohingya in Myanmar's Rakhine State under the UN supervision.

Yunus sought this support when both leaders met on the sideline of the World Economic Forum meeting in the Swiss city of Davos on Tuesday, according to an official statement.

Bangladesh is facing a growing number of refugee burden at the border district of southeastern Cox’s Bazar. An escalating conflict between the Myanmar junta government and the rebel Arakan Army is pushing more Rohingya to cross the Bangladesh border in a fresh influx.

He also explained to the German chancellor how young people joined the July uprising to end years of misrule in Bangladesh.

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to neighboring India on Aug. 5 last year in the face of a student-led uprising that ended her 15-year autocratic rule. On Aug. 8, Yunus formed a transitional government.

"You can rest assured that we will support you," Olaf Scholz told Yunus.

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.2 million Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar, most of whom fled Myanmar in August 2017 during a military crackdown that human rights groups described as genocide.

Meanwhile, in another sideline meeting at the event, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi met with Yunus and said his agency would support Bangladesh in its quest to find a durable solution to the Rohingya crisis, in particular, hosting a major global conference on the issue later this year.

Yunus called for putting the global focus back on the Rohingya crisis, saying the influx of about 100,000 more refugees has added further burden on Bangladesh, another statement by Yunus' office said on Wednesday.

"The situation is getting complicated. They are pushing more Rohingya to Bangladesh," Yunus told Grandi.

"We stand ready to cooperate with you," Grandi assured Yunus.