Dhaka: Citizens' Alliance, a platform of rights bodies, on Wednesday urged the international community to take effective steps for stopping violence against the Rohingya people, Myanmar's ethnic minority group, immediately.

They urged the leaders of all powerful states, including China, Russia, India, Japan and the USA, to put diplomatic pressure and influence on Myanmar to stop the persecution and repatriate the Rohingyas taken shelter in Bangladesh.

They made the call at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in Dhaka.

Rights activist Sultana Kamal read out a written statement on behalf of the Alliance.

"Such obvious acts of human rights violation and barbarism are comparable to the cruelty and genocide of the Pakistani occupation force in Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971," the statement said.

Sultana Kamal said 8 lakh Rohingya refugees have created unprecedented economic, political, social and environmental pressures on Bangladesh.

"This must be explained in detail through diplomatic efforts and efforts must be taken to gain the support of the governments and people of all countries in Asia and the Middle East, India, China, Russia, Japan, Germany, England and other countries of the European Union for stopping the barbarity by Myanmar," she said.

She said citizens, the media, intellectuals and expatriate Bangladeshis, have to be united to build public opinion to stop ethnic cleansing by Myanmar.

The alliance urged the government to ratify the United Nations Refugee Convention to address issues like Rohingya crisis.

Sultana Kamal said there is no alternative to providing shelter to the Rohingya people who are passing days in a very inhuman situation.

"But there's also no alternative to their repatriation to their own country (Myanmar). Necessary initiatives will have to be taken so that they (Rohingya) might go back to their home safely and we believe it's the question of their (Rohingya) fundamental rights ...," she added.

Replying to a query, Advocate Rana Dasgupta said religious or ethnic minority people in the country may face further crisis if the government, political parties and the administration do not take proper steps right now to settle the issue.

"We hope the government, political parties and other organisations like Citizens' Alliance will take all-out preparations to deal with the situation," he added.

Nijera Kori Coordinator Khushi Kabir said the atrocities in Rakhine are being carried out as per a policy to grab the assets of that area through Rohingya cleansing.

She said Aung San Suu Kyi's first speech on Rohingya issue was disheartening.