A South Asian conference on refugee issue began in the city
their heads together for taking up future programmes to assist governments in addressing involuntary displacement.
The two-day conference titled "Fourth Regional Consultation on Refugee and Migratory Movements in South Asia" began at a city hotel under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with wide participation of eminent persons' groups’ (EPGs) who work closely with the UN body in their respective countries.
After the inaugural session in the morning. EPGs from India. Pakistan. Nepal. Sri Lanka and host country Bangladesh discussed drafts of a Model National Law on Refugees' and a Regional Declaration on Refugees In South Asia.
The conference is being held in Dhaka against the backdrop of no country in the South Asian region ratifying yet either the 1951 Refugee Conven-
tlon' or the '1967 Protocol'. The region experienced many migratory movements including the Indo-Pakistan refugee flow in 1947 which was the largest international flow In world history.
In the opening session, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad presented the key-note paper with Chief Justice ATM Afzal in the chair. UNHCR's Regional Director Dr Shamsul Bari made opening remarks while former head of the caretaker government Justice M Habibur Rahman addressed as guest of honour. Leader of Bangladesh EPG. Dr Kamal Hossain delivered the address of welcome. The session ended with a vote of thanks by W van Hovell. UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh.
Foreign Minister Abdus
Samad Azad said. Bangladesh has been both "a country of origin and also a generous enough country for asylum." "We. therefore. have a clear perspective of the issue and all that it involves. We are not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. No country from South Asia has yet become a party," said the minister.
He said. "However, we do attach importance to both these documents and strive to ensure that our activities and attitude conform to their provisions. In particular, we respect the core aspects of the High Commissioner's mandate, namely asylum and the principle of nonrefoulement. "
The Foreign Minister showed keen interest in a draft 'model national legislation on refugees, included in the agenda, and said the outcome of the consultation on the model would be studied with great care by "our own experts in the government."
Dr Shamsul Bari. UNHCR Director'of the Regional Bureau for Central Asia. South West Asia. North Africa and Middle East, said that Bangladesh had played a key role in developing SAARC as a regional forum. We are happy to see that the problems of refugees and migratory movements have now been added on its agenda, albeit in the non-governmental sphere at this stage." said Bari.
He assured of UNHCR's continuous cooperation in Bangladesh's efforts for resolving its problems with Myanmar refugees. Bari lauded the government efforts for peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Justice Habibur Rahman said there are 21.000 Rohingya refugees staying in camps in Bangladesh while tribal refugees are coming back home. He expressed the hope that a durable solution would soon be worked out so that no citizen of Bangladesh would in future be compelled to seek asylum elsewhere.
In his presidential speech, Chief Justice ATM Afzal said. "International organizations, governments and NGOs will have to go beyond ad hoc responses and explore more effective ways of reaching persons
displaced within or beyond the border of their own countries."
In his welcome address earlier, Dr Kamal Hossain. Chairman of Bangladesh Association for the UNHCR, said that the SAARC region witnessed mass involuntary movement of 35 to 40 million people In the past five decades. Kamal, who is a member of the five-men team that drafted the Model National Law on Refugees called for more "imaginative Initiatives" for regional cooperation to address the causes of mass exodus In the region.
Other members of the five-member committee, headed by former chief Justice of India Justice P N Bhagwati, are Rlshikesh Shaha of Nepal. Justice Dorab Patel of Pakistan (died recently) and Bradman Weerakoon of Srl Lanka.
On the opening day. five eminent persons from India, Pakistan. Nepal. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh presented 'country update' on refugee situation. Besides. participants mooted in separate working sessions on the topics of Model National Legislation on Refugees' and Policy Options and Standards for a Regional Approach.'
BNP leader M K Anwar, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Nasim Hasan Shah. Prof C R Abrar of Dhaka University, and a good number of Jurists, law firactitioners, refugee experts rom home and abroad, were also present.