On 25 March at local 5:00 pm our representative Mr. Osman Johar has met with Barrister MBI Munshi in Dhaka. This was their first meeting although they had been corresponding through Facebook for several years. Barrister Munshi is a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. Now a days he is involved in business as well as wide interests including the contemporary political situation of South Asia and has written a book ‘The India Doctrine’ on the subject of India’s hegemonic and domineering role in the region. Mr. Munshi also has concern on the plight of the Rohingya community in neighboring country Myanmar.
Mr. Johar described the dire condition, severe human rights abuses and violations against the Rohingya living in Myanmar. Their rights as citizens of the country being greatly diminished and eliminated in recent years. Mr. Johar further discussed that how the Rohingya community is being systematically victimized by the Myanmar government forcing many to flee. He explained that the Rohingya had never considered themselves as being anything other than Burmese and thus a part of Myanmar society.
The Rohingya community has been a part of Myanmar society for centuries but this truth is denied by the cruel government of Myanmar. Being a council member and lobby group member of the organization, Mr. Johar has discussed with Barrister Munshi about the role of the ERC ‘The European Rohingya Council’. Furthermore, they have discussed regarding the objectives, activities and strategies of ERC for securing the rights of the Rohingya community in Myanmar. Mr. Johar handed Barrister Munshi a short brochure about ‘The European Rohingya Council’ which describes in detail various aspects of the organization. Mr. Johar, however, expressed sadness that the Bangladesh government and civil society organizations were providing no support to the Rohingyas even though they are fellow Muslims.
Barrister Munshi explained that it was a sensitive issue for Bangladesh government but hoped that in future that the Rohingyas issue would gain more sympathy and concern in Bangladesh. With that Barrister Musnhi expressed his thanks to Mr. Johar for the meeting and for the detailed discussion on the Rohingya issue.
