[🇧🇩] Insurgencies in Myanmar. Implications for Bangladesh

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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.​

 

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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

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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.​

 

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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.​

 

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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.

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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’.​

 

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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

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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.​

 

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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...

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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.​

 

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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.​