Ambassador Humayun Kabir told a meeting at the United Nations that Bangladesh wants the return home, in safety and dignity, of more than a quarter million Myanmar refugees it has been hosting for the last three years, reports UNB.

"As a democratic nation, committed to the principles of human rights and profound humanitarian impulses, we did not Hose our doors, to this massive influx." he said referring to the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

"... But with our many and varied constraints, we cannot afford to host this enormous number for an indefinite period." Kabir told the UN meeting on refugee issues yesterday.

In his speech, the Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN highlighted the government’s best efforts to provide assistance to the refugees with the support of the International community.

Welcoming the recent signing of an agreement between Myanmar and the UNHCR. Kabir hoped that it would help the return of the refugees in larger numbers.

He also referred to a Bangladesh-Myanmar agreement reached in April 1992,

and the memorandum of understanding Bangladesh signed with the UNHCR in May this year on repatriation of the Rohin^as.

On the global refugee problem, he stressed the need for collective responsibility to ensure help to about 19 million refugees across the world.