Bangkok, Apr 04 (V7N) – Myanmar has agreed to begin the repatriation of 180,000 Rohingya refugees in the first phase, marking a significant development in the long-awaited process of Rohingya return from Bangladesh.

This information was shared via a post on the Chief Advisor’s verified Facebook account on Friday, April 4. According to the post, Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister U Than Shwe communicated this decision to Dr. Khalilur Rahman, the High Representative of the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, during their meeting on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.

The post confirmed that Myanmar authorities have committed to accepting 180,000 of the 800,000 Rohingya refugees currently registered in Bangladesh. Bangladesh had previously provided Myanmar with an original list of refugees in six phases from 2018 to 2020, and the verification process for 70,000 individuals is still pending. Myanmar has assured that the verification of the remaining 550,000 Rohingya will be completed without delay.

During the meeting, Dr. Khalilur Rahman also extended condolences on behalf of Bangladesh to the people of Myanmar, particularly to the victims of the recent earthquake. Bangladesh expressed its willingness to provide further humanitarian assistance to those affected by the natural disaster.

This agreement is seen as a step forward in addressing the ongoing Rohingya crisis, although the full repatriation process remains contingent on the completion of verification and other logistical arrangements.

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