Dhaka:Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu has called for justice for the crimes against humanity inflicted on the forcibly displaced Rohingya population.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister made this appeal during a meeting with Nicholas Koumjian, the head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), at his secretariat office. Dulu emphasized the need for the IIMM to actively work towards restoring the rights of the Rohingya and to facilitate their safe and sustainable return to Myanmar.
Nicholas Koumjian pointed out that since the beginning of 2024, over 154,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh, adding to the over one million already residing there. The ongoing violence and insecurity in Myanmar's Rakhine State prevent their safe return, illustrating the link between Myanmar's internal issues and the prolonged displacement of the Rohingya in Bangladesh.
The IIMM, established by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018 and endorsed by the UN General Assembly, operates from Geneva. Since August 2019, under Koumjian's leadership, the mechanism has been collecting and analyzing evidence of serious international crimes committed in Myanmar since 2011. Its goal is to support justice and accountability by preparing evidence for potential use in national and international legal proceedings.