Foreign adviser: Rohingyas holding Bangladeshi passports are not citizens
The Chronify
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain says many Rohingyas travelled abroad with Bangladeshi passports due to past mistakes. He stresses that a passport does not confer Bangladeshi citizenship and repatriation to Myanmar remains the only solution.
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday said a large number of Rohingyas had travelled abroad using Bangladeshi passports due to Bangladesh’s own administrative failures in the past, but made it clear that holding a passport does not make them citizens.
Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Touhid said that during the era of handwritten passports there were widespread allegations of corruption, which allowed many Rohingyas to obtain Bangladeshi travel documents.
“Due to our own mistakes, a large number of Rohingyas went abroad with Bangladeshi passports many years ago. At that time, the passports were handwritten, and there were numerous allegations of corruption,” he said.
He said the issue has resurfaced as Saudi authorities are now pressuring those Rohingyas to renew their passports.
“The situation is such that those who went with our passports are being pressured by the Saudis to have their passports renewed by us,” he said.
Touhid added that Bangladesh had initially tried to avoid renewing the documents but eventually decided to issue passports to around 69,000 Rohingyas due to broader national interests.
“When a decision is made in the context of any country, many other interests are involved. Just know this: we tried to avoid doing it, but due to our other interests, we ultimately decided to give Bangladeshi passports to these 69,000 Rohingyas,” he said.
He firmly reiterated that a passport does not establish citizenship.
“A passport does not mean the person is a citizen of Bangladesh,” the foreign adviser said.
Touhid also emphasized that the Rohingyas are historically residents of Rakhine State, noting that the international community recognizes their roots in Myanmar.
“The 1.3 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh have ancestors who lived in Myanmar for hundreds of years. They need to be taken back,” he said.
He stressed that repatriation remains the only sustainable solution to the crisis and that technical complications would not block progress if a conducive environment is created.
“Technical issues will not hold us back. If we can create an environment to send them back, there are many other tasks we need to do. Minor technical issues will not stop that,” he added.
Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Touhid said that during the era of handwritten passports there were widespread allegations of corruption, which allowed many Rohingyas to obtain Bangladeshi travel documents.
“Due to our own mistakes, a large number of Rohingyas went abroad with Bangladeshi passports many years ago. At that time, the passports were handwritten, and there were numerous allegations of corruption,” he said.
He said the issue has resurfaced as Saudi authorities are now pressuring those Rohingyas to renew their passports.
“The situation is such that those who went with our passports are being pressured by the Saudis to have their passports renewed by us,” he said.
Touhid added that Bangladesh had initially tried to avoid renewing the documents but eventually decided to issue passports to around 69,000 Rohingyas due to broader national interests.
“When a decision is made in the context of any country, many other interests are involved. Just know this: we tried to avoid doing it, but due to our other interests, we ultimately decided to give Bangladeshi passports to these 69,000 Rohingyas,” he said.
He firmly reiterated that a passport does not establish citizenship.
“A passport does not mean the person is a citizen of Bangladesh,” the foreign adviser said.
Touhid also emphasized that the Rohingyas are historically residents of Rakhine State, noting that the international community recognizes their roots in Myanmar.
“The 1.3 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh have ancestors who lived in Myanmar for hundreds of years. They need to be taken back,” he said.
He stressed that repatriation remains the only sustainable solution to the crisis and that technical complications would not block progress if a conducive environment is created.
“Technical issues will not hold us back. If we can create an environment to send them back, there are many other tasks we need to do. Minor technical issues will not stop that,” he added.
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