DHAKA, 04 November 2021, (TON): The envoy said “they are doing all they can in the EU to put pressure on Myanmar.”

Head of Delegation of the EU to Bangladesh Ambassador Charles Whiteley has said “the European Union will continue to be a "steadfast partner" of Bangladesh in meeting the needs of the Rohingya and the host community with continued pressure on Myanmar for their safe return to their place of origin in Rakhine State.”

He told UNB in an interview "clearly, I think, the majority of the Rohingya do want to go back to home."

Responding to a question on the EU's business link with Myanmar, the EU envoy said they are very careful when it comes to the economy as some people say why the EU does not suspend the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme.

Myanmar has been a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1995 and, as a least developed country, benefits from the EBA scheme, which grants unilateral duty- and quota-free access for all exports, except arms and ammunition, to the EU.

Ambassador Whiteley said Myanmar military does not have any interest in garment factories in Myanmar and the women and garment workers benefit from the industry a bit like Bangladesh.

He said "so, what we don't want to do is to impose measures that punish the innocent people of Myanmar who already suffered a great deal as a result of recent events in Myanmar.”