Dhaka: The issue of Rohingya refugees has become a regional problem and any initiative in this regard will require following international refugee laws, said European Commission Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Bangladesh, Dr. Stefan Frowein.

The comment was made by the European Commission Ambassador during a meeting with Bangladesh Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak yesterday.

Dr. Stefan Frowein met with Dr. Abdur Razzak in the office of the disaster management ministry yesterday to discuss bilateral issues.

There are around 25,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, but their repatriation process has been stalled for nearly three years. According to local sources, many of the refugees left the camps for Malaysia via sea in small engine boats to look for a better life there.

In the last month, hundreds of refugees were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard in the Andaman sea and by the Indonesian Coast Guard after they were left adrift at sea by Thai authorities as they were attempting to reach Malaysia.

The plight of Rohingya refugees came to the forefront after the incident made headlines. Because of that, European Commission Ambassador and Head of Delegation Dr. Stefan Frowein discussed the issue with high Bangladesh government officials.

At the meeting, Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak said the Bangladesh government considers it important to hold bilateral meetings with Burma to speed up the repatriation process for Rohingya refugees living in two camps in Cox's Bazar, saying, "It is important that Bangladesh and Burma hold discussions on repatriation of the Burmese Muslim Refugees."