Dhaka: Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Sunday the repatriation of Rohingyas will begin immediately after the formation of the joint working group.

‘The work is on to form the working group,’ he said while distributing relief materials among Rohingyas at Balukhali Rohingya camp in Ukhia of Cox’s Bazar.

Noting that some 7.5 lakh Myanmar nationals have already entered Bangladesh, the minister said the government’s capacity has been proven over mobilising the global opinion for the repatriation of Rohingyas with dignity.

The Bangladesh-Myanmar joint working group is supposed to be formed by December 14 next in line with the ‘Arrangement on Return of Displaced Persons from Rakhine State’ signed between the two countries on November 23 last.

According to the arrangement, a joint working group will be set up to oversee all the aspects of return within three weeks of signing of this arrangement.

Awami League MPs Asheq Ullah Rafiq (Cox’s Bazar-2) and Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury (Chittagong-12), AL Organising Secretary Enamul Haque Shamim, AL Cox’s Bazar District President Advocate Sirajul Mostafa were, among others, present, according to a PID handout.