[🇧🇩] Insurgencies in Myanmar. Implications for Bangladesh

[Saif]

সাড়ে ৫ লাখ রোহিঙ্গার নাম যাচাই-বাছাই শুরু করবে মিয়ানমার: খলিলুর রহমান

মিয়ানমার সরকার শিগগিরই সাড়ে ৫ লাখ রোহিঙ্গার নাম যাচাই-বাছাই শুরু করবে বলে প্রধান উপদেষ্টার হাই রিপ্রেজেন্টেটিভ ড. খলিলুর রহমান। মঙ্গলবার হেয়ার রোডে ফরেন সার্ভিস একাডেমিতে আয়োজিত এক প্রেস ব্রিফিংয়ে তিনি এ তথ্য জানান। তিনি বলেন, ব্যাংককে অনুষ্ঠিত ষষ্ঠ বিমসটেক সম্মেলনের ফাঁকে মিয়ানমারের উপ-প্রধানমন্ত

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

সাড়ে ৫ লাখ রোহিঙ্গার নাম যাচাই-বাছাই শুরু করবে মিয়ানমার: খলিলুর রহমান
বাসস
Published :
Apr 08, 2025 21:31
Updated :
Apr 08, 2025 21:31

মিয়ানমার সরকার শিগগিরই সাড়ে ৫ লাখ রোহিঙ্গার নাম যাচাই-বাছাই শুরু করবে বলে প্রধান উপদেষ্টার হাই রিপ্রেজেন্টেটিভ ড. খলিলুর রহমান। মঙ্গলবার হেয়ার রোডে ফরেন সার্ভিস একাডেমিতে আয়োজিত এক প্রেস ব্রিফিংয়ে তিনি এ তথ্য জানান।

তিনি বলেন, ব্যাংককে অনুষ্ঠিত ষষ্ঠ বিমসটেক সম্মেলনের ফাঁকে মিয়ানমারের উপ-প্রধানমন্ত্রী ও পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী উ থান শিউ-এর সঙ্গে তার বৈঠক হয়েছে।

রোহিঙ্গা প্রত্যাবাসন বিষয়ে অগ্রগতির কথা জানিয়ে তিনি বলেন, "মিয়ানমার কর্তৃপক্ষ প্রত্যর্পণ উপযুক্ত আড়াই লাখ রোহিঙ্গার মধ্যে এক লাখ ৮০ হাজার জনকে চিহ্নিত করেছে।"

এছাড়া বাকি ৭০ হাজার রোহিঙ্গার নাম ও ছবি নিয়ে কিছু বিভ্রান্তি রয়েছে বলে জানান তিনি, এবং এ বিষয়ে বাংলাদেশ ও মিয়ানমার যৌথভাবে আলোচনা চালিয়ে যাবে।

তিনি বলেন, "২০১৮ থেকে ২০২০ সালের মধ্যে বাংলাদেশ ছয়টি ব্যাচে মোট ৮ লাখ রোহিঙ্গার একটি তালিকা মিয়ানমারকে পাঠিয়েছে।"

মিয়ানমার সরকার বাকি সাড়ে ৫ লাখ রোহিঙ্গার নাম দ্রুত যাচাই-বাছাইয়ের কাজ সম্পন্ন করবে বলে বাংলাদেশকে জানিয়েছে বলে জানান খলিলুর রহমান।​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar to start reviewing names of 5,50,000 Rohingyas soon: Khalilur

Chief Adviser’s High Representative Dr. Khalilur Rahman on Tuesday said the Myanmar authorities will soon start the process of reviewing the names of 5,50,000 Rohingyas. He disclosed this information at a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

en.prothomalo.com

Myanmar to start reviewing names of 5,50,000 Rohingyas soon: Khalilur
BSSDhaka
Published: 08 Apr 2025, 19: 14

Chief Adviser’s High Representative, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, spoke at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon. Photo: BSS

Chief Adviser’s High Representative Dr. Khalilur Rahman on Tuesday said the Myanmar authorities will soon start the process of reviewing the names of 5,50,000 Rohingyas.

He disclosed this information at a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

Dr Khalilur said he held a meeting with U Than Shew, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Myanmar, on the sidelines of the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.

Claiming that there was a progress on Rohingya issue, he said the Myanmar authorities identified 180,000 Rohingyas out of 2,50,000 eligible for return to Myanmar.

There were some confusions over the names and photos of 70,000 Rohingyas, and Bangladesh and Myanmar will continue talks to resolve the confusions, he said.

The high representative said Bangladesh sent a list of 800,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar in six batches during 2018-20.

He said the Myanmar authorities told him that they would conclude the review of the remaining 5,50,000 as soon as possible.

About the outcomes of the BIMSTEC Summit, Dr Khalilur said Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has been elected the chairman of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) for the next two years and he vowed to advance the BIMSTEC as a dynamic organisation.

Mentioning that the BIMSTEC secretariat is now located in Dhaka, he said: “We hope that we would be able to work together”.

He said there was no progress in much-talked about Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among the BIMSTEC member states but Dhaka will commence efforts to accelerate the process.

During the BIMSTEC summit, an agreement on maritime transport cooperation was signed among the member states, the high representative said.

“We hope that maritime transportation, port management and regional cooperation will be strengthened. Connectivity will be improved (among the member states),” he added.​

The sixth BIMSTEC Summit was recently held in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

[Saif]

Why Myanmar’s Rohingya repatriation plan rings hollow

Myanmar’s recent announcement to repatriate 180,000 Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh has drawn international attention.

www.thedailystar.net

Why Myanmar’s Rohingya repatriation plan rings hollow

Rohingya refugees walk after crossing the Naf river from Myanmar into Bangladesh in Whaikhyang. File Photo: AFP

Myanmar's recent announcement to repatriate 180,000 Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh has drawn international attention. But beneath this statement lies a familiar and troubling pattern. The declaration comes at a time when Myanmar is in deep political crisis, with widespread conflict, a collapsed administration, and worsening humanitarian conditions. Large parts of Rakhine State—home to the Rohingya—are now controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), while the military junta that issued the repatriation promise is steadily losing power and territory. Given these circumstances, it is hard to take this pledge seriously. It seems more like a political gesture to ease international pressure than a sincere effort to correct past wrongdoings.

This is not Myanmar's first repatriation attempt. Two major efforts in 1978 and 1992 followed large-scale violence that pushed hundreds of thousands of refugees into Bangladesh. In both cases, Myanmar agreed to take them back after strong international pressure. However, those returns were rushed, lacked oversight, and failed to address the core reasons why people fled. Returnees were denied citizenship, placed under strict restrictions, and treated with suspicion. These efforts did not lead to lasting peace but instead laid the foundation for further waves of violence and displacement.

The current situation is worse than in previous decades. Since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar has been spiralling into chaos. The junta faces resistance from armed ethnic groups and civil movements across the country. The AA now controls key areas of Rakhine State. In many places, the military government no longer has the power to provide services, security, or even access. Under such conditions, how can they claim to guarantee a safe and voluntary return for the Rohingya refugees?

What makes matters worse is the lack of real policy change. The 1982 Citizenship Law—which stripped the Rohingya of citizenship—remains in place. There has been no formal apology, no legal reform, and no move to recognise them as an ethnic group in Myanmar. The same systems of exclusion and discrimination that forced them to flee still exist. Inside Myanmar, more than 100,000 Rohingya remain in internal displacement camps. Many have lived in these camps for over a decade with limited access to healthcare, education, and freedom of movement. Since the coup, access for aid groups has become even more restricted. Under such harsh and unsafe conditions, calling any repatriation "voluntary" or "dignified" is unrealistic.

The design of the current repatriation plan is also flawed. Myanmar has agreed to take back individuals listed between 2018 and 2020. However, many children have been born in the camps since then and are not included in these lists. This raises the serious risk of splitting families—where parents are allowed to return, but their children are not. Such situations violate basic humanitarian principles and the right to family unity. Understandably, many families would refuse to return under such conditions.

Another major issue is that the voices of the Rohingya themselves are not well-reflected in this process. Studies and interviews from the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar consistently show that most Rohingya do not want to return unless their demands are met. These include full citizenship, safety guarantees, the freedom to move and work, and access to education and healthcare. Many refugees say they would rather stay in Bangladesh than return to a country that still refuses to recognise them.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, has carried a massive humanitarian burden since 2017. Nearly one million Rohingya live in camps along its border. International funding has declined, and frustration is growing among local communities and officials. It is understandable that Bangladesh seeks a solution. However, agreeing to a flawed repatriation plan that lacks guarantees of safety and rights could put vulnerable people at risk, retraumatise survivors, and increase instability in both Rakhine and the camps in Bangladesh. For any future repatriation to work, several key steps must be taken.

First, Myanmar must change its laws to grant the Rohingya full citizenship. This means repealing or amending the 1982 Citizenship Law and recognising the Rohingya as an official ethnic group. Without this, any return will simply recreate the same injustices. Second, international organisations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) must be involved at every stage—from verifying returnees and ensuring safe transport to monitoring their reintegration. Independent oversight will help build trust and protect the rights of returnees.

Third, repatriation must include full families. It is unacceptable to separate children from their parents or leave out newly born members of a household. Repatriation should be a family-centred process based on dignity and choice. Fourth, the return process must be part of a broader justice effort. Myanmar must acknowledge the crimes committed against the Rohingya, hold perpetrators accountable, and offer reparations to victims. Justice is not just about punishment—it is about creating conditions where trust can be rebuilt and people feel safe in their own country. Finally, returnees must be supported with long-term reintegration plans. They need access to education, healthcare, housing, jobs, and land. They should not be sent back to camps or temporary shelters. They must be treated as full and equal citizens with rights and opportunities.

Myanmar's latest repatriation promise may sound hopeful on the surface, but it fails to address the real causes of displacement. The country's worsening political crisis, unchanged discriminatory laws, and lack of accountability all suggest that this initiative is not about helping the Rohingya—it is about managing Myanmar's international image. Unless deep structural changes are made and the rights of the Rohingya are restored, repatriation will remain a false promise. The international community must not accept empty gestures. It must demand real reform, legal guarantees, and a rights-based approach to any return plan. Anything less than that is not repatriation—it is re-victimisation. For the Rohingya, who have suffered for generations, only a just and safe return can bring an end to their long journey of displacement.

Dr Md Nuruzzaman Khan is research fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia.​

 

[Saif]

Meeting with UNHCR: Foreign Secy highlights negative impacts, reiterates Rohingya repatriation only solution

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin on Thursday highlighted the negative impacts on the host community caused by the prolonged stay of the displaced Rohingya community in Cox's Bazar, including the rise of crimes like drug smuggling and human trafficking. During his meeting with the outgoing Represe

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Meeting with UNHCR: Foreign Secy highlights negative impacts, reiterates Rohingya repatriation only solution
UNB
Published :
Apr 10, 2025 23:43
Updated :
Apr 10, 2025 23:43

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin on Thursday highlighted the negative impacts on the host community caused by the prolonged stay of the displaced Rohingya community in Cox's Bazar, including the rise of crimes like drug smuggling and human trafficking.

During his meeting with the outgoing Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangladesh, Sumbul Rizvi, the Foreign Secretary reiterated that repatriation of the Rohingyas is the only viable solution to the crisis.

He recalled the recent visits of the UN Secretary General and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to the Rohingya Camps in Cox's Bazar.

Sumbul Rizvi had the farewell meeting with the Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The foreign secretary congratulated the UNHCR Representative on her successful tenure in Bangladesh and appreciated her efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya population sheltered in Bangladesh.

Citing their longstanding partnership with Bangladesh, the Country Representative assured the foreign secretary of continued support from UNHCR.

Both sides also exchanged their views on the current situation in the Rakhine State, and the upcoming High-level Conference on the Rohingya Crisis.

The UNHCR Representative expressed her gratitude to the Foreign Secretary for the cordial cooperation throughout her tenure.

The Foreign Secretary wished her good health and continued success in the next phase of her life.​

 

[Saif]

Accountability key to resolving Rohingya crisis: Dhaka

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, now visiting Turkey, on Friday emphasised that accountability for the crimes against humanity perpetrated against the Rohingya community is a crucial factor in ensuring justice and the ultimate resolution of the crisis. He reassured that Bangladesh would

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Accountability key to resolving Rohingya crisis: Dhaka
UNB
Published :
Apr 11, 2025 18:27
Updated :
Apr 11, 2025 18:27

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, now visiting Turkey, on Friday emphasised that accountability for the crimes against humanity perpetrated against the Rohingya community is a crucial factor in ensuring justice and the ultimate resolution of the crisis.

He reassured that Bangladesh would continue to lend its unwavering support for the just cause of establishing an independent Palestinian state following multiple UN resolutions.

On the sidelines of the 'Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025', Hossain had a meeting with Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Karim A.A. Khan KC and discussed the issue.

Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md Mahfuj Alam, Bangladesh Ambassador to Turkiye and other senior officials from both sides attended the meeting.

Hossain expressed the deepest sympathy over the suffering of the people of Palestine in the recent aggression.

The meeting discussed all aspects of engagements between Bangladesh and ICC. The prosecutor of ICC lauded Bangladesh's unwavering stance for the cause of the international justice system, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The foreign adviser expressed Bangladesh's continued support to the Rome Statute and to the ICC.

He said Bangladesh's interest in exploring tangible cooperation with ICC in training and skilling experts, academics, jurists. He appreciated ICC for its stance vis-a-vis on the situation in the Rohingya crisis and Gaza.

Both sides agreed to further enhance the level of existing engagements in the coming days.​

 

[Saif]

Peace won't return to Myanmar keeping Rohingya issue unresolved: Dhaka tells Washington

Acknowledging the difficult situation, Bangladesh has strongly conveyed to the United States that peace will not return to Myanmar even if the war ends there unless the Rohingya problem is resolved. "If the Rohingya problem is not resolved, peace will not come to Myanmar even after the war ends. I

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Peace won't return to Myanmar keeping Rohingya issue unresolved: Dhaka tells Washington
UNB
Published :
Apr 18, 2025 22:54
Updated :
Apr 18, 2025 22:54

Acknowledging the difficult situation, Bangladesh has strongly conveyed to the United States that peace will not return to Myanmar even if the war ends there unless the Rohingya problem is resolved.

"If the Rohingya problem is not resolved, peace will not come to Myanmar even after the war ends. I strongly said this," Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told reporters on Friday, referring to his discussion with the US delegation held on Thursday.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.2 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char Island.

Talking to reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, Adviser Hossain said they also conveyed to the US side that they are now in a new reality, and in fact in new reality, they are now facing new neighbours who are non-state actors.

"So we cannot deal with them directly, nor we can ignore them. This is a difficult situation," he said.

The adviser said maybe at some point the problem will settle down and move towards a solution.

"Then those who are our friends and powerful states will have to create pressure there," he said, adding that the Rohingys need to be seen humanely and their rights need to restored in Myanmar.

The US delegation comprising of US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Nicole Ann Chulick and Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Andrew R Herrup met Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, National Security Adviser and High Representative to Chief Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin separately and discussed the issues of mutual interest.

Adviser Hossain said Nicole Chulick highlighted bilateral issues while Andrew Herrup's focus was on Myanmar issues.

Bangladesh sought greater political and humanitarian support from the United States to help address the Rohingya crisis.

"We broadly discussed the Rohingya issue," Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin said on Thursday.

Both sides expressed a "strong commitment" to further advancing the Bangladesh-US partnership to a "newer height" in the days to come.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar rebels prepare to hand key city back to junta: China

A Myanmar ethnic minority armed group is preparing to hand a captured city back to the military in a Beijing-brokered deal, China’s foreign ministry said Tuesday, as residents reported junta troops already returning.

www.newagebd.net

Myanmar rebels prepare to hand key city back to junta: China
Agence France-Presse . Yangon 23 April, 2025, 03:20

A Myanmar ethnic minority armed group is preparing to hand a captured city back to the military in a Beijing-brokered deal, China’s foreign ministry said Tuesday, as residents reported junta troops already returning.

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army ousted Myanmar’s military from the city of Lashio in August 2024, capturing their northeastern command and a key trade route to China.

Analysts say it was the worst strategic loss the military suffered since seizing power in a 2021 coup that sparked a civil war pitting the generals against anti-coup fighters and long-active ethnic armed groups.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters the MNDAA is set to relinquish the city to the military without firing a shot.

‘At the joint invitation of both sides, China recently dispatched a ceasefire monitoring team to Lashio, Myanmar, to oversee the ceasefire between the Myanmar military and the MNDAA and to witness the smooth and orderly handover of Lashio’s urban area,’ he said.

China is a major ally and arms supplier of the junta but also maintains ties with ethnic rebel groups that hold territory near its border like the MNDAA, which can muster around 8,000 fighters.

Monitors have said the fall of Lashio — around 100 kilometres from Chinese territory — was a step too far for Beijing, which balked at the prospect of instability on its borders.

The MNDAA has not commented on the handover and a spokesman for Myanmar’s military could not be reached by AFP for comment.

But a military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: ‘Some military officers have been transferred to Lashio in recent days. Some are on their way to Lashio already.’

One Lashio resident this week said they had been turned away by an MNDAA checkpoint outside a hotel, after being told members of the group were meeting Myanmar military officials inside.

And a spokesman for the Lashio office of another ethnic armed organisation, allied with the MNDAA, said they were ‘seeing military vehicles in town’.

In late 2023, the MNDAA and two other ethnic rebel groups began a combined offensive which seized swathes of Myanmar’s northern Shan state, including lucrative ruby mines and trade links.

Beijing has long been eyeing the territory for infrastructure investment under its trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

After Lashio’s fall China cut power, water and internet to the MNDAA’s homeland region of Kokang, a source close to the group said.

In December it said it would cease fire and was ready for China-mediated ‘peace talks with the Myanmar army on issues such as Lashio’.​

 

[Saif]

Interim govt’s efforts bringing Rohingya issue back in global negotiations: Alam

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Wednesday said the Rohingya crisis has returned to global discussions due to various efforts taken by the Bangladesh interim government. “The Rohingya crisis, especially the 1.3 million Rohingyas who took shelter in Bangladesh, is a huma

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Interim govt’s efforts bringing Rohingya issue back in global negotiations: Alam
FE Online Desk
Published :
Apr 23, 2025 21:17
Updated :
Apr 23, 2025 21:17

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Wednesday said the Rohingya crisis has returned to global discussions due to various efforts taken by the Bangladesh interim government.

“The Rohingya crisis, especially the 1.3 million Rohingyas who took shelter in Bangladesh, is a humanitarian crisis. This crisis could create a major regional crisis and could have become a security threat,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Earthna Summit in Doha, Qatar.

The press secretary said the issue was about to be lost from global discussions, but the interim government, led by Prof Yunus, has brought the Rohingya issue back into global negotiations.

After assuming office, he said, the Bangladesh chief adviser placed the Rohingya issue at the United Nations General Assembly last year, reports BSS.

Responding to the request of Prof Yunus, the UN adopted a resolution, he said, adding that a separate conference on the Rohingya issue would be held at the UN headquarters in New York next September.

Representatives of about 170 countries are expected to participate in the meeting, Alam said.

He said in continuation of this, the Chief Adviser raised the Rohingya issue at the Earthna Summit in Doha on Wednesday.

The press secretary said during the recent BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand, the High Representative on Rohingya Affairs, Dr Khalilur Rahman, held a fruitful meeting with the Myanmar authorities, where Myanmar agreed to repatriate 180,000 Rohingya refugees.

In the global context, Alam said, constant talks on the Rohingya crisis, initiated by the chief adviser, will help repatriate Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar.​

 

[Saif]

Rohingya crisis threatens regional security: Yunus

Bangladesh interim government’s chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at a discussion on Wednesday in Qatar’s capital Doha said that prolonged stay of Rohingyas posed enormous challenges to Bangladesh and might affect regional security and stability if the crisis lingered further...

www.newagebd.net

Rohingya crisis threatens regional security: Yunus
Staff Correspondent 23 April, 2025, 15:53

Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, accompanied by Qatar deputy prime minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al-Thani, is given a ceremonial guard of honour by Qatar armed forces in Doha on Wednesday. | PID Photo

Bangladesh interim government’s chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at a discussion on Wednesday in Qatar’s capital Doha said that prolonged stay of Rohingyas posed enormous challenges to Bangladesh and might affect regional security and stability if the crisis lingered further.

Calling upon Qatar to use its good offices in creating pressure on Myanmar for repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to their homeland, he said that unfortunately, international attention had gradually been shifting from the Rohingya crisis due to various conflicts arising at different corners of the globe.

‘If the problem persists further, it may affect the security and stability of the entire region and jeopardise development initiatives,’ Yunus said while addressing the high-level roundtable on the ‘Social and Environmental Challenges around Forcibly Displaced Populations: The Case of the Rohingya’.

He said that the Rohignya crisis was not simply a humanitarian concern, it was rather a multidimensional challenge with social, economic, political and environmental implications.

He said that rise in criminal activities in the camps and attempts of illegal migration were clear signs of desperation among them.

Yunus called upon all concerned to work together ‘for humanity, for stability and for justice’.

He said that Bangladesh was currently hosting about 1.3 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals while 32,000 newborns were being added yearly as none of the displaced people from the Rakhine State could be returned after the outbreak of the crisis in 2017.

‘Despite numerous challenges and constraints, Bangladesh is giving shelter to such a huge number of Rohingyas only on humanitarian considerations. Bangladesh considers sustainable repatriation as the only solution to the current crisis,’ the chief adviser said.

On the recent situation in the Rakhine State, he said that the situation there had undergone dramatic changes.

‘The Arakan Army now controls the 271-kilometre Bangladesh-Myanmar Border and 14 of Rakhine’s 17 townships. As of February 2025, Rakhine’s total internally displaced population stood at 5,38,876 individuals,’ he said, adding that among them, 1,52,071 stateless Rohingya remained in 21 protracted camps and three villages.

He said that additionally, 3,86,805 people, mostly Rakhine, were newly displaced across 1,219 different sites, reflecting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.

Due to the ongoing armed conflicts in Myanmar, fresh arrivals of Rohingyas in Bangladesh since November 2023 have crossed 1,00,000, Yunus said.

‘Since February 2024, being attacked by the Arakan Army, 909 Myanmar security personnel have taken refuge inside Bangladesh of their own volition. Among them, 875 were repatriated to Myanmar, with another 34 to be repatriated soon,’ he said, adding that funding under the Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis was decreasing.

He told the roundtable that Bangladesh would organise a ‘High-Level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar’ under UN auspices, probably in September 2025 in New York.

Bangladesh expected high-level political participation and cooperation from Qatar in the conference, the chief adviser said.

‘Qatar can use its good offices to put pressure on Myanmar for starting the repatriation of Rohingya people without any further delay,’ Yunus said.

Underlining the need for a meaningful partnership, he said that given the renewed international geopolitical and geostrategic scenario, Qatar could strongly express its solidarity to resolve the issue and be proactive to engage the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries to raise more funds and impose pressure on the international community to advocate for the repatriation of the Rohingyas.

Yunus and Qatar Foundation chief executive officer Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, also sister of Qatar Amir, and the host of Earthna Summit, joined the roundtable, the United News of Bangladesh reported from Doha.

As of March 19, out of the data of a total of 8,29,036 submitted by the Bangladesh government, as many as 2,39,056 people were verified by the Myanmar government, and among them, 1,76,198 people were cleared as ‘Persons who resided in Myanmar’ by the government of Myanmar, the UNB report mentioned.

Qatar was among the first few countries to immediately provide assistance and support after the onset of the Rohingyas crisis in 2017, the chief adviser mentioned.

He said the ongoing justice and accountability initiatives in the International Court of Justice, the investigation of the International Criminal Court, and the activities of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar regarding the atrocities committed against Rohingyas were very crucial.

Bangladesh as state party of the UN and Rome Statute, he said, strongly believes crimes like genocide and crime against humanity should never go unpunished.

‘Attributing the crimes to Myanmar/officials of Myanmar will also be a crucial tool to build the confidence of Rohingyas for their repatriation to Rakhine,’ said the chief adviser.

Bangladesh foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain, energy adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, national security adviser and high representative to chief adviser Khalilur

Rahman, SDGs affairs principal coordinator Lamiya Morshed and Bangladesh ambassador to Qatar Md Nazrul Islam were present, among others, at the discussion.​

 

[Saif]

Govt should have talked to political parties over ‘humanitarian corridor’ for Rakhine: Mirza Fakhrul

The interim government should have talked to the political parties before taking the decision in principle of allowing a “humanitarian corridor” for communications with Myanmar’s Rakhine state, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir remarked Monday. He...

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Govt should have talked to political parties over ‘humanitarian corridor’ for Rakhine: Mirza Fakhrul
Correspondent Thakurgaon
Published: 28 Apr 2025, 23: 13

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir addresses a rally in Thakurgaon sadar upazila on 28 April 2025 Prothom Alo

The interim government should have talked to the political parties before taking the decision in principle of allowing a “humanitarian corridor” for communications with Myanmar’s Rakhine state, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir remarked Monday.

He further said this decision is involved with the country’s independence and sovereignty and future peace and stability of this region.

Mirza Fakhrul said this while speaking as the chief guest at a mass campaign at Jagannathpur union in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila in the evening.

“A news report today made me thoughtful. Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Mr. Touhid, he said, ‘We want to allow a humanitarian passage for communications with the Arakanese’. This is a tough thing, it is hard to make you understand. You cannot go there (Rakhine); but now we can go there through Chattogram in Bangladesh. We can go there and communicate (with them). Now they are allowing this humanitarian passage there to communicate.”

Mirza Fakhrul further said, “Let me explain the matter a little. Isn’t there a war going on in Gaza? Israel is only dropping bombs on Gaza, right? No one can go there. A road is being built from Jordan or Egypt and food and medicine from the United Nations are being sent to Gaza from that direction. It’s alright, it is necessary for humanitarian reasons. But what I am saying is, today Bangladesh has to reach the point where Bangladesh had to allow a humanitarian passage. This is a very big decision. Our independence, sovereignty and peace and stability of the region in the future are related to this decision.”

According to Mirza Fakhrul, the government should have talked to all political parties about this issue. Instead of talking about it, they (the government) are making unilateral decisions and giving space for humanitarian passage.

The BNP leader said they had no objection to helping people; they had no objection to the initiative that the United Nations had taken. But it must be with the support of all people.

Mentioning “we don’t want to become another Gaza”, Mirza Fakhrul further said, “We don’t want to get involved in another war. We don’t even want anyone to come here and create trouble for us. We’re already in a big crisis with the Rohingya. We think we should have discussed this before allowing this so that there would be no problems with granting passage.”

Mirza Fakhrul also spoke about the reform initiatives. He said the power of the prime minister was becoming like a king. “We need reforms in those spheres. That is why we have talked about 31-point reforms. But we also want the election to be held. We hope the conscience of the government will prevail. They have said they will try to hold the election from December to June. But what we want to say is, please say it clearly, when you will organise the election. Announce a roadmap.”

Thakurgaon district BNP leaders were also present there.​

 

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Rohingyas fleeing Arakan Army persecution

Amid escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Rohingyas are trespassing into Bangladesh every day, crossing the border allegedly to escape the brutality of Myanmar’s rebel group, the Arakan Army (AA).

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Rohingyas fleeing Arakan Army persecution
13 lakh refugees now in Bangladesh

Rohingya refugees near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, in 2017. Photo: Reuters

Amid escalating violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, Rohingyas are trespassing into Bangladesh every day, crossing the border allegedly to escape the brutality of Myanmar's rebel group, the Arakan Army (AA).

Rohingya sources said back in Rakhine State, they faced killings, enforced disappearances, torture and forced recruitment into the rebel group as human shields against junta forces and were used as forced labourers for construction works.

Md Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), said, "Currently, a large number of Rohingyas are fleeing from Rakhine State and taking shelter in various refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. Since November 2023 until now, 1.13 lakh Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh. Of them, most arrived since June last."

The RRRC said, "Speaking to the fleeing Rohingyas, we learnt that they are escaping to Bangladesh after facing persecution by the Arakan Army. In the homes they leave behind, people from other communities are settling. These accounts have been consistently shared by the fleeing Rohingyas. We have not been able to independently verify this information."

Official sources confirmed that Bangladesh authorities and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have taken fingerprints of the 1.13 lakh Rohingyas who entered Bangladesh since November 2023.

With these new arrivals, the total number of Rohingyas officially sheltered in Bangladesh now stands at least 13 lakh.

To arrange accommodation for the new arrivals, UNHCR has sent a letter to Bangladesh. The letter was sent last week to the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner.

Regarding the matter, Mizanur said, "We have received a letter from UNHCR requesting arrangements for the accommodation of more than one lakh new Rohingyas. We do not have space to build houses for such a large number."

"This effort to build new shelters will make Rohingya repatriation more difficult, as it will encourage more Rohingyas in Rakhine to come to Bangladesh," he added.

Md Zubair, chairman of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, said, "Arakan Army is carrying out atrocities against the Rohingyas living in Rakhine State. Rohingyas are called to Arakan Army camps and forced to work as labourers. They are picking Rohingyas for recruitment into their forces to fight against the military junta. They are also detaining many Rohingyas, accusing them of having links with the junta forces. Some of these Rohingyas were killed, and others, brutally tortured. Many Islamic scholars from the Rohingya community were victims of enforced disappearance.

"Recently, the Arakan Army has started evicting Rohingyas from their houses and resettling Rakhine people (Mogh) from other countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and India into those areas."

That is why Rohingyas are fleeing to Bangladesh, Zubair said.

He described the situation in Rakhine as dire and demanded immediate international intervention and investigation into the Rohingya persecution committed by the Arakan Army.

Until November 2023, around 1.2 million Rohingyas, most of whom fled a brutal military campaign by Myanmar's junta forces, had already taken shelter in Bangladesh.

Rohingyas alleged that during that time, Rakhine people also took part in the persecution alongside the Junta forces.

The Arakan Army, representing the Rakhine community, launched a campaign against the junta forces in November 2023. They announced victory over 80 percent of Rakhine State, capturing 14 of the 17 townships.

Following their victory, the entire 270-kilometre border with Bangladesh went under their control.

During the fighting between the AA and Junta forces, many Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh after allegedly being targeted by both sides through bombings, torture and killings.

After the Arakan Army established control over most of Rakhine State, the Rohingyas reportedly became victims of further torture killings, and enforced disappearances by the AA.​

 

[Saif]

রাখাইনে মানবিক করিডোর কি বাংলাদেশের জন্য নিরাপত্তা ঝুঁকি তৈরি করবে? (If Bangladesh allows a humanitarian corridor for the UN to help the Rohingya in Myanmar, it could pose a serious security threat for Bangladesh. More Rohingya may come to Bangladesh to escape Arakan Army's persecution.)