[🇧🇩-Land] Arakan Army----A rising security threat to Bangladesh

[Saif]

Date of Event: Mar 8, 2025 Source : https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/govt-engaging-arakan-army-3835826

Govt engaging with Arakan Army
Says CA’s representative on Rohingya issue

Bangladesh is maintaining contact with the Arakan Army (AA), which has occupied some 90 percent of Rakhine State, for the sake of protecting the country's border and Rohingya repatriation, said Khalilur Rahman, the chief adviser's high representative on the Rohingya issue.

"The day the AA raised its flag on our border, I instantly realised it's a new world -- you got to deal with them," he said at a seminar yesterday on the situation in Rakhine and implications for Bangladesh.

The seminar was organised by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) at the North South University premises.

Myanmar has been in civil war since the military coup that ousted the democratic government in February 2021.

The National Unity Government, the shadow government formed by the political leaders, and dozens of other ethnic groups, have been fighting the junta since then.

The AA, which seeks autonomy in Rakhine, controls the entire 271-kilometre-long border with Bangladesh and more than a million Rohingyas fled that state to Bangladesh.

"Mind you, this is our border and we have to protect, make it secure and make sure that we work in collaboration with whoever is on the other side. We reached out to them at a certain level," Rahman said.

Before that, he held a meeting with Julie Bishop, the UN secretary general's special envoy on Myanmar, over drafting a statement for the UN secretary general to the AA.

The statement communicated that the AA has to respect international human rights principles and abide by international laws.

At the seminar, Rahman also said, "A new neighbour is emerging and Bangladesh wants to be friendly with them and not dominate them. This is our only land border outside of our border with India. It is also in our national interest to reach out to them. We can begin the process of building trust, building confidence and lay the basis of longtime friendly relations."

He said he made it very clear that Bangladesh does not have any pipeline through Rakhine or any transit projects through Rakhine.

Abdul Hafiz, special assistant to the chief adviser on defence and national solidarity development, said diplomacy, backed by strategic deterrence based on a national consensus, is critical to protecting national interests.

He underscored Bangladesh's priority of ensuring safe, dignified and voluntary Rohingya repatriation.

Keynote speaker Ambassador Md Sufiur Rahman, a senior research fellow at SIPG, provided an analytical overview of the shifting political landscape in Rakhine.

He highlighted that 750,000 people have been displaced from Rakhine and that poverty in Rakhine has ascended to alarming levels.

He believes Bangladesh can play a pivotal stabilising role by providing humanitarian support and strengthening economic ties between Chittagong and Rakhine.

"Economic linkages can serve as a pathway to broader cooperation and peacebuilding," he said, while suggesting leveraging this to secure a peaceful border and a friendly neighbour.

Sk Tawfique M Haque, director of SIPG, urged a pragmatic policy toward the AA by recognising the fast-evolving situation in Rakhine and stopping the slow and silent influx of Rohingya Refugees since October 2023.

Bangladesh should balance security concerns with economic and diplomatic goals, he added.​

 

[Saif]

আরাকান আর্মির সাথে বাংলাদেশের যোগাযোগের প্রশ্ন উঠছে কেন - BBC News বাংলা

মিয়ানমারের রাখাইন রাজ্যে চলমান যুদ্ধে দেশটির বিদ্রোহী গোষ্ঠী আরাকান আর্মি বাংলাদেশ সীমান্তের ওপারে মিয়ানমার সীমান্তের পুরোটাই নিয়ন্ত্রণ করছে- এমন খবর আসার পর বাংলাদেশ সরকারের দিক থেকে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগের উদ্যোগের ইঙ্গিত পাওয়া যাচ্ছে। মিয়ানমারের আরাকান রাজ্যের সাথে বাংলাদেশের জলে ও স্থলে...

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আরাকান আর্মির সাথে বাংলাদেশের যোগাযোগের প্রশ্ন উঠছে কেন

ছবির ক্যাপশান,আরাকান আর্মির এক সদস্য সতর্ক পাহারায়। ফাইল ছবি

মিয়ানমারের রাখাইন রাজ্যে চলমান যুদ্ধে দেশটির বিদ্রোহী গোষ্ঠী আরাকান আর্মি বাংলাদেশ সীমান্তের ওপারে মিয়ানমার সীমান্তের পুরোটাই নিয়ন্ত্রণ করছে- এমন খবর আসার পর বাংলাদেশ সরকারের দিক থেকে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগের উদ্যোগের ইঙ্গিত পাওয়া যাচ্ছে।

বাংলাদেশের অন্তর্বর্তী সরকারের প্রধান উপদেষ্টার রোহিঙ্গা সমস্যা ও অগ্রাধিকারপ্রাপ্ত বিষয়াবলি–সংক্রান্ত বিশেষ প্রতিনিধি ডঃ খলিলুর রহমান রোহিঙ্গা সংকট ও আঞ্চলিক নিরাপত্তা নিয়ে শুক্রবার ঢাকায় আয়োজিত এক অনুষ্ঠানে দেয়া বক্তৃতায় এ ইঙ্গিত দিয়েছেন।

মি. রহমান আজ শনিবার বিবিসি বাংলাকে বলেছেন, আরাকানের পরিস্থিতি তারা গভীরভাবে পর্যবেক্ষণ করছেন এবং পরিস্থিতি অনুযায়ী আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগ করা হবে কি না তা নিয়ে 'সুচিন্তিত' পদক্ষেপ নেয়া হবে বলে মন্তব্য করেছেন তিনি।

মিয়ানমার বিষয়ক গবেষক ও লেখক আলতাফ পারভেজ বলছেন, আরাকানে এখন যে পরিস্থিতি তাতে সীমান্ত ব্যবস্থাপনা, নিরাপত্তা ও বাণিজ্যের স্বার্থে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগ জরুরি হয়ে পড়েছে।

তবে এর ভিন্নমতও রয়েছে। নিরাপত্তা বিশ্লেষক মেজর এমদাদুল ইসলাম (অবসরপ্রাপ্ত) বলছেন সীমান্ত অঞ্চল আরাকান আর্মি নিয়ন্ত্রণ করছে এটি যেমন সত্যি, তেমনি রাখাইনের রাজধানী এখনো সরকারের নিয়ন্ত্রণে।

"পাশাপাশি নেপিদো সরকারের সাথে বাংলাদেশের কূটনৈতিক সম্পর্ক আছে। সে কারণে চলমান পরিস্থিতি ও কূটনৈতিক সম্পর্ক -উভয় দিক বিবেচনায় নিয়েই বাংলাদেশকে এগুতে হবে," বলেছেন তিনি।

থাইল্যান্ড ভিত্তিক মিয়ানমারের সংবাদ মাধ্যম ইরাবতী শনিবার তাদের এক প্রতিবেদনে লিখেছে যে, বাংলাদেশের সাথে মিয়ানমারের পুরো সীমান্তই এখন আরাকান আর্মির দখলে।

মূলত গত এগারই ডিসেম্বর খবর আসে যে আরাকান আর্মি মংডু শহরের নিয়ন্ত্রণ নিয়েছে। এই প্রথম মিয়ানমারের পুরো একটি রাজ্যের নিয়ন্ত্রণ নিয়েছে কোন বিদ্রোহী গোষ্ঠী।

এই অংশের পুরোপুরি নিয়ন্ত্রণে নেয়ার পরই বাংলাদেশ মিয়ানমার সীমান্তবর্তী নাফ নদীর মিয়ানমারের অংশে অনির্দিষ্টকালের জন্য নৌ চলাচলে নিষেধাজ্ঞা আরোপ করেছে আরাকান আর্মি।

এমন পরিস্থিতিতে বিভিন্ন মহল থেকে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে সরকারের যোগাযোগ করার প্রসঙ্গটি আলোচনায় উঠে আসে।

বাংলাদেশ কী ভাবছে

ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে শুক্রবার 'রোহিঙ্গা সংকট ও আঞ্চলিক নিরাপত্তা: বাংলাদেশের প্রাসঙ্গিক বিবেচনাসমূহ' শীর্ষক আলোচনায় অংশ নিয়েছিলেন ডঃ খলিলুর রহমান।

তিনি সেখানে বলেছেন 'আরাকান আর্মির চূড়ান্ত অবস্থা কী হয় তা এখনো অস্পষ্ট। তবে ইতোমধ্যে উদ্যোগ নেওয়া হচ্ছে, যাতে অন্তত সীমান্ত ব্যবস্থাপনার ব্যাপারে আরাকান আর্মির সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ থাকে। তবে গভীরভাবে বিবেচনা না করে কোনও পদক্ষেপ নেওয়া হবে না'।

বিষয়টি নিয়ে আজ শনিবার বিবিসি বাংলার সাথে কথা বলেছেন মি. রহমান।

তিনি বলেন, আরাকানের পরিস্থিতির দিকে তারা গভীরভাবে নজর রেখেছেন এবং পরিস্থিতি অনুযায়ী সুচিন্তিত সিদ্ধান্তই তাদেরকে নিতে হবে।

"আমাদের জন্য সীমান্ত ব্যবস্থাপনা গুরুত্বপূর্ণ। রাখাইনের সাথে আমাদের সীমান্ত আছে। তবে সেখানকার পরিস্থিতি ঠিক কী অবস্থায় আছে এবং সীমান্ত ব্যবস্থাপনায় কারা সেটি নিশ্চিত হয়েই আমাদের পদক্ষেপ নিতে হবে," তিনি বলেন।

আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগের উদ্যোগ মিয়ানমারের সাথে কূটনৈতিক সম্পর্কের ক্ষেত্রে কোন ইস্যু হবে কি না জানতে চাইলে মি. রহমান বলেন, ''সে প্রশ্ন এখনো আসছে না, কারণ বাংলাদেশ পরিস্থিতি বোঝার চেষ্টা করছে মাত্র''।

এর মধ্যেই আরাকান আর্মির সাথে কোন যোগাযোগ সরকারের হয়েছে কি না, এমন প্রশ্নের জবাবে তিনি বলেন, 'আমরা বাইরে থেকে শুনতে পাচ্ছি তারা সীমান্ত নিয়ন্ত্রণ করছে। আমরা আরও দেখবো। সীমান্ত কারা নিয়ন্ত্রণ করছে সেটি স্পষ্ট হতে হবে আগে"।

অর্থাৎ আরাকান আর্মির সাথে এর মধ্যেই যোগাযোগ হয়েছে কি না কিংবা যোগাযোগের সিদ্ধান্ত চূড়ান্ত হয়েছে কি না সেটি এখনো পরিষ্কার নয়।

তবে রাখাইন ও মিয়ানমার ইস্যুর দিকে নজর রাখেন সরকারের এমন কিছু সূত্র বলছে, কোন চ্যানেলে কীভাবে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগ হতে পারে তা নিয়ে নানামুখী তৎপরতা চলছে।

আরাকান আর্মি কারা

কাচিন ইন্ডিপেনডেন্ট আর্মির (কেআইএ) সহায়তায় ইউনাইটেড লীগ অব আরাকানের সামরিক শাখা হিসাবে আরাকান আর্মি গঠিত হয় ২০০৯ সালে। তাদের লক্ষ্য, একটি সার্বভৌম আরাকান রাজ্য প্রতিষ্ঠা করা।

আরাকান আর্মি কখন সামরিক তৎপরতা শুরু করে সেটি নির্দিষ্ট করে বলা কঠিন। তবে ধারণা করা হয় ২০১৫ সাল থেকে পালেতোয়া টাউনশিপ এলাকায় তাদের সামরিক তৎপরতা শুরু হয়।

সেনাবাহিনীর সাথে তারা গত কয়েক বছর ধরে লড়াই চালিয়ে আসছে এবং এই সময়ে রাখাইন রাজ্য ও পার্শ্ববর্তী চিন রাজ্যে নিজেদের অবস্থানকে সংহত করতে সমর্থ হয়েছে। চলতি বছরের শুরুর দিকে এসে আরাকান আর্মির একের পর এক আক্রমণে কোণঠাসা হয়ে পড়ে সরকারি বাহিনী।

এ কারণে গত বছরের মাঝামাঝি থেকেই আরাকান আর্মির সাথে বাংলাদেশের অনানুষ্ঠানিক যোগাযোগের তাগিদ দিতে থাকেন অনেকে।

বাংলাদেশের সাবেক পররাষ্ট্র সচিব তৌহিদ হোসেন গত নভেম্বরে এক আলোচনায় অংশ নিয়ে বলেছিলেন রাষ্ট্র হিসেবে নন স্টেট অ্যাক্টরের সাথে সম্পর্ক রাখায় যায় না। 'কিন্তু সম্পর্কের বিভিন্ন মাত্রা আছে। আমাদের মূল সমস্যা আরাকানে। নতুন যে ব্যবস্থা আসবে তাতে রাখাইনে আরাকান আর্মিই হবে বড় ফ্যাক্টর। সে অনুযায়ী ব্যবস্থা নিতে হবে'।

মি. হোসেন এখন বাংলাদেশের অধ্যাপক মুহাম্মদ ইউনূসের নেতৃত্বাধীন অন্তর্বর্তী সরকারের পররাষ্ট্র উপদেষ্টার দায়িত্বে রয়েছেন।

প্রসঙ্গত, রাখাইন অঞ্চল থেকে প্রায় ১০ লাখ রোহিঙ্গা বাংলাদেশে পালিয়ে এসেছে আরো সাত বছর আগে। কিন্তু সেই সংকট সমাধানের কোন কূলকিনারা হচ্ছেনা।

কেন আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগের প্রশ্ন

মিয়ানমার বিষয়ের লেখক ও গবেষক আলতাফ পারভেজ কয়েক বছর আগে আরাকান আর্মির জেনারেল নায়েং এর সাক্ষাতকার নিয়েছিলেন। তখন থেকেই তিনি আরাকান আর্মির সাথে বাংলাদেশের যোগাযোগ প্রতিষ্ঠার ওপর গুরুত্ব দিয়ে আসছেন।

তার মতে নিরাপত্তা, সীমান্ত ব্যবস্থাপনা এবং ব্যবসা বাণিজ্য—এ তিনটি কারণে আরাকান আর্মির সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ তৈরি করা বাংলাদেশের জরুরি হয়ে পড়েছে।

"এখনকার বাস্তবতা হলো আরাকান আর্মিই সেখানকার প্রধান শক্তি। বিশেষ করে রোহিঙ্গা প্রধান উত্তর আরাকানের বিপুল এলাকা তাদের দখলে চলে গেছে। সে কারণে রোহিঙ্গাদের ফেরত পাঠাতে হলেও তাদের সম্মতির দরকার হবে। এটা সম্পূর্ণ নতুন এক বাস্তবতা। এখন এর নেপিদোর সরকার (জান্তা সরকার) চাইলেও রোহিঙ্গাদের ফেরত পাঠানো যাবে না," বিবিসি বাংলাকে বলেছেন তিনি।

তার মতে বাংলাদেশ আরাকান আর্মির সঙ্গে সম্পর্ক গড়ে তুলবে কি না বা কীভাবে গড়ে তুলবে কিংবা সেই যোগাযোগে রোহিঙ্গাদের কীভাবে যুক্ত করবে- এসব বিষয়ে চিন্তা ভাবনা করে এগুতে হবে।

তিনি বলেন, "কারণ মনে রাখতে হবে রোহিঙ্গাদের আরও সংগঠন আছে। তেমন কোন কোন সংগঠন আবার আরাকান আর্মির বিরুদ্ধেও আছে"।

অন্যদিকে একসময় সিটওয়েতে বাংলাদেশ মিশনের প্রধান হিসেবে দায়িত্ব পালন করেছেন মেজর (অব.) এমদাদুল ইসলাম। মিস্টার ইসলাম বলছেন রাখাইন রাজ্য পুরোটা আরাকান আর্মি দখল হয়েছে এটা এখনি বলা যাবে না। তবে সীমান্ত জুড়ে তাদের প্রভাব প্রতিষ্ঠিত হয়েছে।

"আবার রাখাইনের রাজধানী, পার্লামেন্ট সরকারের নিয়ন্ত্রণে আছে। সরকারি বিমান, নৌ ও সেনাবাহিনীও এখনো কোন পদক্ষেপ নেয়নি। নেপিদোতেও মিয়ানমার সরকার আছে, যার সাথে কূটনৈতিক সম্পর্ক আছে বাংলাদেশের। এসব কিছু বিবেচনায় নিয়েই বাংলাদেশকে এগুতে হবে," বিবিসি বাংলাকে বলছিলেন তিনি।

যদিও কেউ কেউ মনে করেন সুনির্দিষ্ট কিছু কারণে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে দ্রুত 'অনানুষ্ঠানিক' যোগাযোগ করা উচিত বাংলাদেশের। এর প্রথম কারণ হলো সীমান্ত ব্যবস্থাপনা, যাতে করে নতুন করে রোহিঙ্গা অনুপ্রবেশ আর না ঘটতে পারে।

এছাড়া সাম্প্রতিক সময়ের লড়াইয়ে হেরে সরকারি বাহিনী বিপুল অস্ত্র ফেলে গেছে বলে ধারণা পাওয়া যাচ্ছে। এগুলোর চোরাচালানের আশংকা আছে বাংলাদেশের দিক থেকে এবং এই নিরাপত্তা ঝুঁকির কারণেও অনেকে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে যোগাযোগের তাগিদ দিচ্ছেন।

যদিও রোহিঙ্গা ইস্যু গভীরভাবে পর্যবেক্ষণ করেন এমন কিছু সূত্র বলছে আরাকান আর্মির সাথে বাংলাদেশের অনানুষ্ঠানিক একটি যোগাযোগ চ্যানেল গত বছরেই তৈরি হয়েছিলো। কিন্তু সেটি এখনো কাজ করছে কি না সে সম্পর্কে কোন ধারণা পাওয়া যায়নি।​

 

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Situation in Myanmar Border: Dhaka needs to engage with Arakan Army

Dhaka needs to engage with Arakan Army, which now controls over 80 percent of Rakhine State, including the 271-km border between Bangladesh and Myanmar, said security experts, former diplomats, and academics yesterday.

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Situation in Myanmar Border: Dhaka needs to engage with Arakan Army
Say experts

Engagement with the Arakan Army could be a 'win-win situation' for Bangladesh, benefiting both security and economic interests. — MD SHAHIDUL HAQUE Major General (retd)

Dhaka needs to engage with Arakan Army, which now controls over 80 percent of Rakhine State, including the 271-km border between Bangladesh and Myanmar, said security experts, former diplomats, and academics yesterday.

The call was made during a policy dialogue on "Rakhine after the Fall of Maungdaw: Implications for Bangladesh and the Region," organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) at a city hotel.

BIPSS President Major General (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman moderated the discussion, with former Defence Attaché to Myanmar and former Ambassador to Libya Major General (retd) Md Shahidul Haque, and East-West University Assistant Professor Parvez Karim Abbasi serving as panelists.

"I believe it's high time to engage diplomatically with the Arakan Army," said Abbasi. "This is a standard procedure in many cases, but we should also keep our military options open."

He suggested that if direct communication with a non-state actor like the Arakan Army isn't possible, Bangladesh should explore all informal channels to establish contact.

Abbasi also warned that the Arakan Army's control of Rakhine could escalate insurgency risks in India's northeastern states.

Muniruzzaman emphasised the need for Bangladesh to formulate a clear strategy for dealing with the complex situation in Rakhine.

Referring to India's approach, Muniruzzaman said although New Delhi has historically maintained close ties with Myanmar's junta, it appears to be recalibrating its strategy to engage with the Arakan Army due to the shifting dynamics in Rakhine.

Major General (retd) Haque described engagement with the Arakan Army as a potential "win-win situation" for Bangladesh, which could benefit not only security but also economic interests.

He pointed out that the Arakan Army's dominance in Rakhine has created a complex situation for India, potentially presenting a strategic opportunity for Bangladesh.

"This is an opportunity for us… for the first time, we are in the driver's seat, especially in negotiating our interests with India," Haque said.

Last week, in Thailand, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain urged Myanmar to address ongoing border and Rakhine issues, reiterating that Dhaka cannot engage with non-state actors such as the Arakan Army.​

 

[Saif]

https://www.eurasiareview.com/26062024-the-arakan-army-a-growing-security-threat-to-bangladesh-oped/

The Arakan Army: A Growing Security Threat To Bangladesh – OpEd
June 26, 2024 0 Comments
By Sadia Aktar Korobi

Arakan Army fighters in Myanmar. Photo Credit: AA Info Desk

As the Civil war in Myanmar intensifies, the Arakan Army (AA) has emerged as a formidable force against Myanmar military in Rakhine State. Recent escalation in hostilities between the rebel group and the military in Rakhine has not only disrupted Junta’s hold in the region but also poses serious security threats to Bangladesh. Stray Mortar shelling in Bangladesh’s bordering regions included, last month, AA rebels even kidnapped innocent fishermen from the Naf river that Bangladesh shares with Myanmar. AA’s activities are becoming a growing concern for Bangladesh especially considering that Bangladesh has consistently responded with patience and dignity to the numerous provocations and challenges posed by Myanmar.

On October 27, 2023, the Three Brotherhood Alliance (3BTA), composed of the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and Ta’ang National Liberation Army and numbering some 15,000 fighters, launched Operation 1027, an anti-SAC offensive in Shan State. The coalition had been preparing for this offensive for years, according to local interlocutors, and its forces were equipped with advanced weapons, including drones acquired on foreign markets.

The Arakan Army, founded in 2009, initially aimed at gaining greater autonomy for the Rakhine people. Since the offensive last October, it has actually steered close to its goal and undoubtedly has become one of the strongest pillars challenging the Myanmar junta in the ongoing civil war. The rebel group has taken control of more than half the Rakhine State – nine of its 17 townships. They have seized key territories in the neighbouring Chin state as well. The AA’s tactical prowess and strategic territorial gains have drawn the attention of regional stakeholders, including Bangladesh. The proximity of AA operations to this border has heightened security concerns for Bangladesh, as cross-border skirmishes and the potential for infiltration increase.

The Escalation of Conflict in the borders of Bangladesh

On May 22, Arakan Army launched a large-scale attack on Maungdaw town in northwestern Rakhine State near the border with Bangladesh. If the Arakan Army can seize Maungdaw, only one town in northern Rakhine will remain under the regime’s control: Sittwe, the state’s capital. Capturing Maungdaw will also give the Arakan Army control over the 270-km border with Bangladesh. That possibility does not seem far-fetched as the group has captured more than 10 junta camps in Rakhine State’s Maungdaw in less than two weeks, killing about 200 junta troops.

Direct Security Implications for Bangladesh

The AA’s intensified activities near the border areas in southeastern Bangladesh, particularly in Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar, have experienced stray gunfire, mortar shelling, and airstrikes from Myanmar forces. These incidents have not only caused casualties among Bangladeshi civilians but have also forced thousands to flee their homes, creating a humanitarian crisis.

Just this month, ferry services on the Teknaf-Saint Martin route have been suspended since 6th June due to firing from Myanmar. This had caused a massive food shortage in the region endangering lives of more than 10000 residents. Often shots were fired at trawlers and boats to Saint Martin’s. One of such trawlers was carrying Bangladeshi election officials. Arakan Army members are believed to have fired the shots.

The conflict has also led to an influx of displaced persons, including Myanmar Border Guard Police personnel, into Bangladesh. More than 752 fleeing junta personnel and their families have been repatriated since mid-February after the AA launched offensives near Rakhine’s international border. This sudden influx strains security for Bangladesh-Myanmar border which is already a contested place due to Myanmar people trying to enter the country illegally especially the Rohingya community still living in Myanmar.

Bangladesh’s internal security is already complicated as it is with the existence of over a million Rohingya refugees already residing in camps in Bangladesh. The potential for further displacement due to ongoing violence in Rakhine and Chin states remains high, posing a continuous threat to Bangladesh’s border security and humanitarian stability.

Broader concerns if Arakan army controls Rakhine

Beyond the immediate border incidents, the presence of the AA near Bangladesh raises broader security concerns. The AA’s control over large swathes of territory in Rakhine State, including strategic border areas, increases the risk of arms smuggling, human trafficking, and other illicit activities. Bangladesh geography puts it at the heart of three major Asian drug trade routes: the Golden Wedge, the Golden Triangle and the Golden Crescent. This, unfortunately, makes the country a lucrative transit for the region’s drugs, especially from Myanmar and India, undermining Bangladesh’s internal security.

Moreover, the AA’s conflict with the Myanmar military has the potential to draw in other armed groups and create a broader insurgency landscape. This could lead to a spillover of violence into Bangladesh, exacerbating the security challenges. The presence of armed militants in close proximity to Bangladeshi territory necessitates a robust security response to prevent infiltration and maintain regional stability.

What should be the future?

The AA had previously assured that they will cooperate regarding border stability issues with neighbouring countries. These words seem hollow when they still have not apologized for the deaths Bangladeshi civilians caused by their fighting. The further show of utmost disrespect to Bangladesh’s neutrality by kidnapping Bangladeshi fishermen fishing, firing at Bangladeshi trawlers within the borders of their own country is totally inexcusable.

Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal are two routes for Arakan or the Rakhine state’s contact with the outside world. Due to the location of Saint Martin’s, most of the north Bay of Bengal is within Bangladesh’s maritime boundary. And so, for the future growth of Rakhine state, creating a friendly relationship with Bangladesh should be priority for the Arakan Army-not provoking the country.

As this situation evolves, Dhaka must remain vigilant and proactive in managing the implications of the AA’s activities to safeguard its national security and humanitarian interests. Diplomatic engagement and cooperation among the parties is essential to ensure the security and stability of Bangladesh.​

 

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Necessary dialogue must take place with Arakan Army: Guterres

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today said the Arakan Army is an entity with which he believes a "necessary dialogue must take place" but stressed that it would be "extremely difficult" to have an immediate "dignified return" of the Rohingya refugees amid heavy fighting between the Myanmar...

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Necessary dialogue must take place with Arakan Army: Guterres

Photo: PID

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today said the Arakan Army is an entity with which he believes a "necessary dialogue must take place" but stressed that it would be "extremely difficult" to have an immediate "dignified return" of the Rohingya refugees amid heavy fighting between the Myanmar army and Arakan Army.

"I think it is important to engage with the Arakan Army in order to full respect of the rights of the Rohingya population in Rakhine," he said while responding to a question at a joint media briefing with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.

Guterres said it is essential to increase the pressure of the international community and all the neighbours of Myanmar in order to guarantee that fighting ends and democracy is finally reestablished there.

The UN chief said it is absolutely essential to mobilise the whole of the international community, all the neighbours of Myanmar, not just Bangladesh, to make things move to find a solution, starting by seizing the violence and at the same time creating the mechanisms leading to a true democratic solution in Myanmar that would naturally facilitate the return of the Rohingya refugees.

"At the same time, we need to intensify the humanitarian aid inside Myanmar to create a condition for that return to be successful," Guterres said.

He also referred to the possibility of having a humanitarian aid channel from Bangladesh, if circumstances allow. "But that is obviously a matter that would require authorization and cooperation....."

The government of Bangladesh and the Arakan Army (AA) should immediately facilitate humanitarian aid and cross-border trade to reach war-affected civilians in Myanmar's Rakhine State, Fortify Rights said on March 12.

"Rights-respecting countries should explore all possibilities to facilitate the delivery of life-saving aid to communities in need in Myanmar," said Ejaz Min Khant, Human Rights Associate at Fortify Rights. "A humanitarian corridor between Bangladesh and Myanmar would enable vital aid and trade for all communities. Failure to act will cost lives."

Asked whether the issue of establishing a humanitarian corridor was discussed during the UN chief's visit, Foreign Adviser Hossain said these are the things that actually have been going on in their interactions with the international community and particularly in the UN.

In particular, he said, this issue was not discussed with the UN Secretary General. "This is much more of an operational matter which we will of course deal with the local offices of the UN."

The adviser said the government of Bangladesh wants to see the Rohingyas return to their homeland with dignity and safety and the solution lies with Myanmar.

"It is time that we unify our efforts to put pressure on Myanmar authorities - I am not saying only authority because of the new realities on the border - we have to convince all of them - put appropriate pressure - so that they (Rohingyas) can go back to their rightful place," Hossain said.

Guterres said he believes that sanctions are one possible instrument and it is difficult to obtain UN Security Council's approval for imposing sanctions and those sanctions not being possible.

The UN Secretary-General, during his visit to the Rohingya refugee camps on Friday, vowed to do everything in his power to prevent further hardship as drastic aid cuts threaten food supplies and other critical relief efforts.

UN aid efforts are in jeopardy following funding reductions announced by major donors, including the United States and several European nations.

Guterres described Cox's Bazar as "ground zero" for the impact of these cuts, warning of a looming humanitarian disaster if immediate action is not taken. "We are at risk of cutting the food rations in this camp," he said.

"That would be an unmitigated disaster that we cannot accept because people will suffer and even people will die."

Guterres emphasised that his visit, which took place during the holy month of Ramadan, was a mission of solidarity with the Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi people who generously host them.

"I am here to shine a global spotlight on the plight - but also the potential - of Rohingya refugees," he said.

"The more than one million Rohingya refugees here are proud. They are resilient. And they need the world's support."

He praised the support offered by Bangladesh and local communities who have shared their land, forests, water and resources with the refugees, calling it nothing short of "enormous."

Bangladesh is hosting over one million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar. The largest exodus followed brutal attacks by Myanmar security forces in 2017, a series of events that the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein described as "textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

The Secretary-General emphasised that the international community cannot turn its back on the Rohingya crisis.

"We cannot accept that the international community forgets about the Rohingyas," he said, adding that he will "speak loudly" to world leaders that more support is urgently needed.​

 

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BGB brings back 26 Bangladeshi fishermen detained by Arakan Army

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has brought back 26 Bangladeshi fishermen who were detained by the Arakan Army, a separatist armed group in Myanmar, from the Bay of Bengal near Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. On Saturday afternoon (March 15), these fishermen were returned via the jetty at Shah Porir Dwip i

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BGB brings back 26 Bangladeshi fishermen detained by Arakan Army
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Mar 15, 2025 23:00
Updated :
Mar 15, 2025 23:00

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has brought back 26 Bangladeshi fishermen who were detained by the Arakan Army, a separatist armed group in Myanmar, from the Bay of Bengal near Teknaf, Cox's Bazar.

On Saturday afternoon (March 15), these fishermen were returned via the jetty at Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf, UNB reports.

Lieutenant Colonel Ashikur Rahman, the commanding officer of BGB 2 Teknaf, said, "The 26 Bangladeshi fishermen, who were taken from near the Teknaf-Cox's Bazar-Saint Martin's Island area, have been returned. They have been brought through the jetty at Shah Porir Dwip. They are currently undergoing a medical test, and will be handed over to their families afterward."

He also said, "The fishermen had accidentally crossed the Bangladesh-Myanmar border while fishing and entered Myanmar's waters. As a result, they were detained. We are raising awareness among the fishermen about this issue."

Sheikh Ehsan, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Teknaf, said, "The fishermen who were detained by the Arakan Army while fishing in the Bay of Bengal have been brought back. The process of handing them over to their families is ongoing."​

 

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Govt initiates talks with Arakan Army

Bangladesh has been in discussions with the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group based in Rakhine, under a United Nations initiative for restoring stability in the state of Myanmar with an aim to send back the Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh...

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Govt initiates talks with Arakan Army
Staff Correspondent 09 April, 2025, 00:24

A file photo of Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. | New Age photo

Bangladesh has been in discussions with the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group based in Rakhine, under a United Nations initiative for restoring stability in the state of Myanmar with an aim to send back the Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh.

The government is also mulling an option to allow a ‘humanitarian channel’ for providing aids to the conflict-ridden Rakhine state under the UN initiative.

‘We are discussing the repatriation process of Rohingyas with the Arakan Army, who has the declared position to take back the Rohingyas since Rakhine is an autonomous state of Myanmar,’ the chief adviser’s high representative on Rohingya issue and priority matters Khalilur Rahman told a press conference in Dhaka city on Tuesday while sharing the outcome of the interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s participation in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 3-4.

He said that they have continued discussions over the Rohingya repartition, the only solution to the crisis, with Myanmar authorities and all other stakeholders, including international communities, as they were having the list of Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh verified by the Myanmar authorities as per a bilateral deal with Myanmar signed in 2018.

Khalilur said that the UN had brokered the talks between the Arakan Army and the Bangladesh authorities in efforts to establish a ‘humanitarian channel’ from Bangladesh to the Rakhine state devastated by the ongoing conflicts and now in need of medical and other supplies.

‘The UN has brought the two parties to the table for discussions. We are considering providing humanitarian assistance, led by the UN, to the crisis-ridden Rakhine state,’ said Khalilur, a former diplomat.

He said that the return of Rohingyas would not proceed until there was a stable situation in the Rakhine state where the Arakan Army, military wing of the United League of Arakan, was fighting against Myanmar military forces for greater autonomy.

Bangladesh was in discussions with the Myanmar regime, the authorities controlling Arakan (Rakhine state) on the ground, international communities and friendly countries as well, he added.

He said that the summit in Bangkok highlighted regional cooperation, including discussions on the protracted Rohingya crisis.

‘During the summit, I met U Than Swe, Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. We have made significant progress regarding the repatriation since the agreement was signed in 2018 with them,’ said Khalilur.

He mentioned that Bangladesh has submitted a list of 8,00,000 Rohingyas in six phases between 2018 and 2020. Myanmar has reviewed 2,50,000 of these names and identified 1,80,000 people who they confirmed for repatriation to Myanmar initially.

‘They (Rohingyas) are not leaving tomorrow. A repatriation process requires careful preparation — ensuring safety, livelihood opportunities and a stable environment,’ he added.

While visiting Bangladesh, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres on March 15 said in Dhaka that return of Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar in the present situation was extremely difficult and raised the issue of allowing a humanitarian channel from Bangladesh to the Rakhine state.

‘If circumstances allow to have a humanitarian channel from Bangladesh that is obviously a matter. That would require authorisation and cooperation,’ he said.

Responding to a question, foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain, however, said on the day that the issue of providing a ‘humanitarian corridor’ from Bangladesh to the bordering Rakhine state of Myanmar was not discussed with the UN secretary general during the visit.

He said that Bangladesh also believed that the solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis must be found in Myanmar, and its primary solution was return of the Rohingyas to their homeland in a safe, dignified, and voluntary manner as over 12 lakh displaced people from the Rakhine state were sheltered in Cox’s Bazar camps.

There was heavy fighting between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army, said Guterres, who visited Bangladesh from March 13 to March 16, responding to the issue of Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh.

Without giving further details, he said that dialogues must be held with the Arakan Army.

The Bangladesh government has been continuing efforts to send back the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to their homeland without any progress, with the number of displaced people sheltered in Bangladesh camps increasing every year since the 2017 influx of Rohingyas amid a military crackdown on them in the Rakhine state.

The number of Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh camps is increasing with an average new births of 30,000 every year, according to the government data.​

 

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Arakan Army abducts 3 Bangladeshis from Naf River

Myanmar armed terrorist group Arakan Army (AA) has abducted three Bangladeshis along with their boat from river Naf in the Leda area of Hnila union in Teknaf. The abductees were identified as Siddique Hossain, 27, Rabiul Alam, 27 and Mahmud Hossain, 30. They are residents of East Ledar...

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Arakan Army abducts 3 Bangladeshis from Naf River
Staff Correspondent Cox’s Bazar
Published: 12 May 2025, 22: 58

Myanmar's Rakhine state's Maungdaw on one side of Naf river,Teknaf on this side File photo

Myanmar armed terrorist group Arakan Army (AA) has abducted three Bangladeshis along with their boat from river Naf in the Leda area of Hnila union in Teknaf.

The abductees were identified as Siddique Hossain, 27, Rabiul Alam, 27 and Mahmud Hossain, 30. They are residents of East Leda Lamarpara village in the union.

Acting chairman of Hnila union parishad, Mohammad Ali confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo.

The Arakan Army took over the city of Maungdaw in Rakhine state of Myanmar on 8 December after 11 months of clash with the Myanmar Junta.

Their activities along the Naf River and various points of the Bay of Bengal have increased since then. Crimes like abducting Bangladeshi fishermen with their trawler have also increased simultaneously. The local fishermen blamed the Arakan Army for these incidents.

Hnila union acting chairman Mohammad Ali told Prothom Alo those who were abducted today were not fishermen. Nobody knows why they went there. However, they had informed the locals before getting onboard. The Arakan Army opened fire towards them after seeing their boat and chased them down and eventually abducted them. The district administration has been notified, the UP chairman said.

The local fishermen also confirmed the abduction. Quoting them, Hnila union parishad member from ward no. 8, Nurul Huda said the Arakan Army abducted them at gunpoint.

Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer, Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said, “The Arakan Army imposed a ban on fishing and boat movement on Naf River after taking over the Rakhine state in December. I have been informed about the abduction of three persons today. We are looking into the matter.”

Speaking regarding this, Teknaf-2 BGB battalion captain Colonel Ashikur Rahman said, “I heard about the incident. However, it is not yet clear whether they are fishermen or drug peddlers as we have seized several big consignments of drugs recently from the area.”

Since December last year, the Arakan Army has abducted as many as 204 Bangladeshi fishermen so far from river Naf and different points of the Bay of Bengal. The Border Guard Bangladesh has rescued 189 of them.​