Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday renewed her call to the global community to ensure the dignified repatriation of Rohingyas as they are posing a big security threat to Bangladesh as well as the region.

"We've sheltered them on humanitarian grounds but such a huge population can't be lodged for an indefinite period… I request the world community to assist us in dignified and peaceful repatriation of the Rohingyas," she said.

The prime minister made the call in her pre-recorded speech at the three-day  IX Moscow Conference on International Security, The Daily Star reported.

She said Bangladesh has been hosting more than 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals - Rohingyas - for about four years. "They're posing a huge security threat to Bangladesh as well as the region," she added.

Hasina said conflicts among states give rise to intrastate security problems.

Besides, she mentioned, the concept of security now includes, in addition to military threats, the socio-economic and political needs of individuals, mass involuntary migration, environmental security and other non-traditional security threats.

"Even, new challenges and issues of international security arise due to terrorism, extremism, separatism, weapons of mass destruction, cybercrimes, regional conflicts and ecological catastrophes," Hasina said.

She vowed to bring all citizens under the free Covid-19 vaccination program and said the government is trying to get vaccines from all available sources to make that happen.

"Our government is in touch with Russian for vaccines. I would like to mention that Bangladesh has the capacity to produce vaccines and even support the world community if we're taken on board in the production chain," Hasina added.

 (SAM)