‘No one wants to go’: Bangladesh scraps Rohingya repatriation plan

Bangladesh officials have said plans to begin repatriating more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees to Myanmar have been scrapped after officials failed to find any who wanted to go. Refugee Commissioner Abul Kalam told AP on Thursday that the refugees “are not willing to go back now.” Officials “can’t force them to go” but will continue to try to “motivate them so it happens,” Kalam added. The announcement came after about 1,000 Rohingya demonstrated against returning to Myanmar, from where hundreds of thousands fled army-led violence last year. According to a UN-brokered deal between Myanmar and Bangladesh, refugees can only be repatriated voluntarily. UN officials and human rights groups have cautioned against beginning the process before the refugees’ safety had been assured.