Bangladesh Deputy Foreign Minister Shahriar Alam stated that Rohingyas went to Myanmar voluntarily.
"This is a trial period, there is no big return. Refugees will be sent to Arakan to monitor the situation. If they are uncomfortable, they have a chance to come back. In this case, we see no argument to oppose this," Alam said.
Emphasizing that he made this statement because of the negative comments received by the UN against the return project, Alam stated that efforts are being made to include the UN in the return process.
Criticizing the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to Myanmar Tom Andrews, Alam noted that Andrews visited Cox's Bazar in the past few days and made negative statements about the return project.
However, Alam said that what Andrews said and the tone he used was "condescending and insulting to his efforts" and that they would report the matter to the UN.
NO PEACE FOR ROHINGYA MUSLIMS IN MYANMAR
Andrews said on 8 June that Bangladesh must immediately suspend the return project so that Rohingya refugees can return to Myanmar, where they face serious risks to their lives and freedoms.
A team of 20 Rohingya Muslim refugees, who fled the oppression and persecution in Myanmar and took refuge in Bangladesh, went to Maungdaw district of Myanmar's Rakhine state on 5 May to assess "the existence of adequate conditions" for a safe and voluntary return to their country.
Bangladeshi authorities stated that with this visit they accompanied, they aimed to "build trust, volunteerism and an honorable return process among refugees".
The 20-member refugee delegation stated that there are still no suitable return conditions in their hometowns, which they started to leave in 2017. However, Bangladesh Refugee Aid and Repatriation Chief Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, who led the delegation, said that "the only solution" to the Arakan crisis is return.
If the process is successful, it is expected that 1100 refugees will be sent back in the first stage.
Bangladesh hopes the return process will begin before the monsoon season, which covers the period from June to October.
Officials from the Myanmar military administration visited the camps in Bangladesh on March 15.
More than 1.2 million refugees in Bangladesh are struggling to survive in 33 camps and on Bhasan Char Island.