[🇧🇩] Insurgencies in Myanmar. Implications for Bangladesh

[Saif]

ROHINGYA CRISIS: Bangladesh engages with parties in Rakhine: UNHCR

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Tuesday told the UN Security Council that the Bangladesh interim government chose to engage with the parties to the conflict in the Rakhine state to pursue a solution to the Rohingya crisis that...

www.newagebd.net

ROHINGYA CRISIS: Bangladesh engages with parties in Rakhine: UNHCR
Staff Correspondent 29 April, 2025, 23:20

File photo

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Tuesday told the UN Security Council that the Bangladesh interim government chose to engage with the parties to the conflict in the Rakhine state to pursue a solution to the Rohingya crisis that remained stagnant for the past eight years.

‘But there is now an opportunity to break this dangerous inertia. The interim government of Bangladesh has chosen to engage with the parties to the conflict in Rakhine State in pursuit of a solution there—where it rightly lies,’ said the UN Refugee Agency chief while addressing the UN Security Council in New York.

‘Many will immediately say that such a solution today is impossible for all the reasons we know: too much blood has been shed, discrimination continues, and there are too many competing interests to balance. Many will say that the root causes will never be effectively addressed, and that may well be the case,’ he added.

He expressed his hope that the Security Council would continue to focus robustly on the situation in Myanmar, including the plight of the Rohingyas, saying, he looked forward to the conference planned for September in New York.

‘But we have been down the path of stagnation for eight years in respect of the Rohingya situation—it is a dead end,’ said Filippo Grandi, adding that from the perspective of pursuing solutions to the Rohingya plight.

‘..and in order to start recreating conditions for the return of refugees, dialogue with all parties is a critical first step so that humanitarian agencies, including UNHCR can reestablish their presence and resume providing desperately needed humanitarian relief—safely and freely,’ he added.

‘That, in turn, would provide a basis on which to restart discussions on the eventual return of displaced Rohingya—I stress: voluntarily, in safety and dignity—once the security situation in Rakhine allows, and from where other legal rights could also be pursued,’ he said.

‘For the last eight years, for example, stagnation has defined the response in Myanmar. The fighting between the Tatmadaw and different armed groups has caused immense suffering and large-scale displacement throughout the country and the region,’ he mentioned.

The plight of the Rohingya minority, in particular, has become even worse. Fighting in Rakhine State with the Arakan Army has been particularly vicious— 1.2 million Rohingya are refugees today, mostly in Bangladesh, in the camps around Cox’s Bazaar, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

‘We must thank Bangladesh and its people for having provided them refuge over the years. But Rohingya refugees languish in the camps, without work, deprived of agency, entirely dependent on humanitarian aid, which grows ever more precarious,’ he said

The UN Security Council’s permanent members are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the current 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly are— Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia.​

 

[Saif]

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).

www.thedailystar.net

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]

UNHCR for sheltering 1.13 lakh more Rohingyas

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has recently pressed the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner to ensure accommodation of 1.13 lakh more Rohingyas amid uncertainty of repatriation...

www.newagebd.net

UNHCR for sheltering 1.13 lakh more Rohingyas
Staff Correspondent 30 April, 2025, 23:45

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has recently pressed the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner to ensure accommodation of 1.13 lakh more Rohingyas amid uncertainty of repatriation.

RRRC officials said that Rohingyas continued to enter Bangladesh as conflicts in Myanmar’s Rakhine state went on.

‘We received a letter from the UNHCR in the past week about ensuring accommodation of 1.13 lakh more Rohingyas who entered Bangladesh between November 2023 and April 27, 2025,’ RRRC top official Mohammed Mizanur Rahman told New Age on Tuesday.

Mizanur said that accommodating new arrivals of Rohingyas was impossible in the camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas in Cox’s Bazar.

He said that they had taken fingerprints of 1.13 lakh Rohingyas but yet to collect their iris images.

Mizanur also said that many newly arriving Rohingyas were staying at their relatives, learning centres and under the open sky. Some were living outside the camps.

Local people said that new arrivals were now living in villages and Cox’s Bazar town.

Ekramul Karim Bablu, a local resident at Balukhali in Ukhiya, told New Age that many Rohingyas were living outside the camps, in villages and towns.

‘We, the local people, are now cornered as the pressure of Rohingyas is increasing,’ he said.

The Armed Police Battalion’s 16th Battalion commanding officer Kawser Shikdar, also an additional deputy inspector general of police, said that the Rohingyas were living in the camps in an extremely crammed condition with at least eight people living in a tiny room.

‘I don’t see any place to allow new arrivals in the camp. We need to create new sheds for them,’ Kawser.

Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin declined to comment on the accommodation of the new arrivals, saying that he had to first hold a meeting the RRRC.

Myanmar has identified 1,80,000 Rohingya refugees from a list of 8,00,000 sheltered in Bangladesh as eligible for repatriation, said a recent press release from the chief adviser’s press wing.

The information was disclosed on April 4 to Khalilur Rahman, high representative of the chief adviser of Bangladesh, by U Than Shew, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Myanmar, at a meeting on the sidelines of the 6th summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, BIMSTEC in short, in Bangkok.

Many Rohingyas, however, have said that they are not willing to return to Rakhine until peace is restored.

Dhaka University international relations professor Syeda Rozana Rashid said that the repatriation process would not start overnight until a conducive environment for relocation in Myanmar was restored.

‘Our main goal is to repatriate them and we have been trying this for the past eight years. It will take time and let’s see what happens next,’ said Rozana, having more than twenty years of research experience on forced and voluntary migration.

She said that the Rohingya people could not be sent in Rakhine until the current volatile situation in which killings, setting fire to homes and tortures were being perpetrated, forcing them to cross the border to enter Bangladesh with whatever means they could manage.

The Rohingyas are using land and river routes along the border in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas in Cox’s Bazar and Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban to reach Bangladesh, community people and officials in Cox’s Bazar said. To enter Bangladesh they are paying local boatmen and brokers on both sides of the border.

More than 1.3 million (13 lakh) Myanmar nationals of the Rohingya community fled to Bangladesh amid brutal atrocities by the Myanmar military since 2017, according to government data.

On March 7, the United Nations World Food Programme in a press release warned of a critical funding shortfall for its emergency response operations in Bangladesh that might affect over one million displaced Rohingyas.

The monthly rations must be halved to $6 per person, down from $12.50 per person, it said.

RRRC chief Mizanur said that the UN shifted from its previous position and extended to providing $12 for per person till August this year.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Tuesday told the UN Security Council that the Bangladesh interim government chose to engage with the parties to the conflict in the Rakhine state to pursue a solution to the Rohingya crisis that remained stagnant for the past eight years.​

 

[Saif]

ROHINGYA CRISIS: Bangladesh engages with parties in Rakhine: UNHCR

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Tuesday told the UN Security Council that the Bangladesh interim government chose to engage with the parties to the conflict in the Rakhine state to pursue a solution to the Rohingya crisis that...

www.newagebd.net

ROHINGYA CRISIS: Bangladesh engages with parties in Rakhine: UNHCR
Staff Correspondent 29 April, 2025, 23:20

File photo

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Tuesday told the UN Security Council that the Bangladesh interim government chose to engage with the parties to the conflict in the Rakhine state to pursue a solution to the Rohingya crisis that remained stagnant for the past eight years.

‘But there is now an opportunity to break this dangerous inertia. The interim government of Bangladesh has chosen to engage with the parties to the conflict in Rakhine State in pursuit of a solution there—where it rightly lies,’ said the UN Refugee Agency chief while addressing the UN Security Council in New York.

‘Many will immediately say that such a solution today is impossible for all the reasons we know: too much blood has been shed, discrimination continues, and there are too many competing interests to balance. Many will say that the root causes will never be effectively addressed, and that may well be the case,’ he added.

He expressed his hope that the Security Council would continue to focus robustly on the situation in Myanmar, including the plight of the Rohingyas, saying, he looked forward to the conference planned for September in New York.

‘But we have been down the path of stagnation for eight years in respect of the Rohingya situation—it is a dead end,’ said Filippo Grandi, adding that from the perspective of pursuing solutions to the Rohingya plight.

‘..and in order to start recreating conditions for the return of refugees, dialogue with all parties is a critical first step so that humanitarian agencies, including UNHCR can reestablish their presence and resume providing desperately needed humanitarian relief—safely and freely,’ he added.

‘That, in turn, would provide a basis on which to restart discussions on the eventual return of displaced Rohingya—I stress: voluntarily, in safety and dignity—once the security situation in Rakhine allows, and from where other legal rights could also be pursued,’ he said.

‘For the last eight years, for example, stagnation has defined the response in Myanmar. The fighting between the Tatmadaw and different armed groups has caused immense suffering and large-scale displacement throughout the country and the region,’ he mentioned.

The plight of the Rohingya minority, in particular, has become even worse. Fighting in Rakhine State with the Arakan Army has been particularly vicious— 1.2 million Rohingya are refugees today, mostly in Bangladesh, in the camps around Cox’s Bazaar, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

‘We must thank Bangladesh and its people for having provided them refuge over the years. But Rohingya refugees languish in the camps, without work, deprived of agency, entirely dependent on humanitarian aid, which grows ever more precarious,’ he said

The UN Security Council’s permanent members are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the current 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly are— Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar junta rejects Jamaat-e-Islami’s 'Rohingya state proposal'

Myanmar’s military government has rejected a proposal reportedly made by Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami to establish a “separate state” for the Rohingya in Rakhine, calling it a threat to the country’s sovereignty. The Irrawaddy, a media outlet run by Myanmar exiles, re

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Myanmar junta rejects Jamaat-e-Islami’s 'Rohingya state proposal'
bdnews24.com
Published :
May 03, 2025 23:53
Updated :
May 03, 2025 23:53

Myanmar’s military government has rejected a proposal reportedly made by Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami to establish a “separate state” for the Rohingya in Rakhine, calling it a threat to the country’s sovereignty.

The Irrawaddy, a media outlet run by Myanmar exiles, reported the development on Friday, citing a statement issued by the junta.

The proposal surfaced after a meeting between the Jamaat and Communist Party of China (CPC) held on Apr 27 in Dhaka’s Gulshan.

Following the meeting, several media outlets reported that Jamaat had suggested establishing an independent state in Rakhine for the Rohingya population.

The next day, Jamaat-e-Islami issued a statement clarifying its position.

Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, the party’s deputy chief, said: “In the press briefing, I mainly tried to convey that Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh should be repatriated with dignity and safety, and that a secure zone should be established for them in their homeland.”

Taher, speaking after the meeting with the CPC, had earlier told journalists: “As you know, there are around 1.1 or 1.2 million Rohingya in Bangladesh.

“They are living in inhumane conditions. We said that food, clothing, and shelter are not solutions. The real solution is to return the Rohingya to their homeland.”

He added, “We have therefore presented a proposal—to establish an independent Arakan (Rakhine) state in the area where the Rohingya are the majority.”

According to the Jamaat leader, “China can play the biggest role here because of its deep ties with Myanmar. They will inform their government about our new proposal and try to take the initiative.”

Six days after the Jamaat’s proposal, the Myanmar junta issued a statement saying it had undermined the sovereignty of Myanmar.

The junta’s statement claimed that Jamaat had been in contact with the CPC to seek political advantage.

“Myanmar has repeatedly articulated its stance on the repatriation of “Bengali” refugees,” it reads.

“Bengali” is a term used by the Myanmar military to refer to the Rohingya as interlopers from Bangladesh, The Irrawaddy noted.

The junta further said Myanmar’s deputy foreign minister has been holding regular meetings in Kunming with Bangladeshi officials on the refugee repatriation issue.

The regime said it had a policy of verifying and registering refugees before repatriation and had built enough accommodation for returnees.

More than 750,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State and sought refuge in Bangladesh after Aug 25, 2017, in the wake of a military crackdown.

They joined an estimated 400,000 others already sheltering in overcrowded camps near Cox’s Bazar, a coastal district where one of the world’s largest refugee settlements now exists.

Under mounting international pressure, Myanmar’s then-government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, signed a repatriation agreement with Bangladesh in late 2017.

But two attempts to return refugees in 2019 failed, as the Rohingya refused to go back without guarantees of safety and citizenship.

The situation deteriorated further in 2021 when Myanmar’s military, led by Gen Min Aung Hlaing, seized power in a coup, effectively ending any prospect of diplomatic negotiations.

Subsequent efforts mediated by China also collapsed.

The crisis has since been compounded by fresh violence in Rakhine State, leading to another wave of Rohingya arrivals in Bangladesh.

In a statement, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus said more than 80,000 additional refugees had crossed the border.

As ethnic armed conflict intensifies, the Arakan Army has taken control of nearly all areas along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

With rebel forces seizing key territory, Dhaka’s communication with Naypyidaw has also sharply declined.​

 

[Saif]

35 Rohingya fleeing Bhasan Char detained in Chattogram

A total of 35 Rohingya, including women and children, have been detained in Chattogram after fleeing Bhasan Char. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) caught the group from the area near embankment adjacent to Patenga sea beach during a raid. According to a media statement from RAB-7, the authorities rec

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

35 Rohingya fleeing Bhasan Char detained in Chattogram
bdnews24.com
Published :
May 03, 2025 22:03
Updated :
May 03, 2025 22:03

A total of 35 Rohingya, including women and children, have been detained in Chattogram after fleeing Bhasan Char.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) caught the group from the area near embankment adjacent to Patenga sea beach during a raid.

According to a media statement from RAB-7, the authorities received information about the presence of the escapees near Patenga Beach and launched an operation to detain them.

They were later handed over to Patenga Model Police Station.

The detainees include men, women, and children of different ages, the statement said.

Speaking to journalists at the Patenga Police Station premises, the Rohingya said they belonged to several families.

They claimed “poor living conditions and lack of livelihood opportunities” in Bhasan Char drove them to leave the island and attempt to travel to Ukhiya via Chattogram with the help of brokers.

According to them, each person paid Tk 3,000 to 4,000 to the brokers for the trip.

Many of them said they had no plans to return to Bhasan Char. “Ukhiya is a more suitable place for us,” one detainee said.

Nearly 1.1 million Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in 2017 amid persecution in Myanmar.

With the repatriation process stalled, the government began relocating a portion of the refugee population to Bhasan Char, an island in the Meghna estuary near Hatia Upazila, to ease pressure on the overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar.

Spread across 13,000 acres, or 5,260 hectares, the island has been developed with 120 cluster villages to accommodate over 100,000 people.

The first phase of relocation from the Cox’s Bazar camps to Bhasan Char began on Dec 4, 2020.

Since then, there have been multiple incidents of Rohingya attempting to escape the island and being caught in the process.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh–Myanmar border: Landmines claim lives, some left disabled

The lower part of his right leg, below the knee, was blown off in the explosion. With what remains of his severely injured leg, 45-year-old fisherman Mohammad Firoz has been writhing in pain in the hospital for nearly a month.

en.prothomalo.com

Bangladesh–Myanmar border: Landmines claim lives, some left disabled
Ifthekhar Uddin Chattogram
Published: 03 May 2025, 22: 57

Mohammad Firoz, who was injured in a landmine explosion at the Teknaf border in Cox’s Bazar, is currently receiving treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital. The explosion occurred last Wednesday afternoon.Photo: Jewel Shill

The lower part of his right leg, below the knee, was blown off in the explosion. With what remains of his severely injured leg, 45-year-old fisherman Mohammad Firoz has been writhing in pain in the hospital for nearly a month. He was injured in a landmine blast on 6 April while returning from fishing. The explosion took place just inside Myanmar territory, near the zero line of the Hwaikyang border in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.

Like Firoz, many residents living near Bangladesh’s border with Myanmar are frequently killed or injured by landmine and improvised explosive device (IED) blasts. Between 24 January and 1 May of this year alone, at least 13 people have been injured in such explosions. In July 2024, a young man lost his life in a similar incident. Most of these explosions have occurred in the Naikhongchhari border area of Bandarban.

The majority of those injured in landmine explosions have been left disabled. Having lost their livelihoods, many now live in misery. Their families, too, have been pushed to the brink of destitution due to high medical costs and other expenses.

In Myanmar, the long-running conflict between the country’s military and armed groups has led to widespread use of deadly landmines and munitions. In November 2023, the Arakan Army launched attacks on military bases in Rakhine State. As a result, much of the state is now under the control of the Arakan Army.

Allegations have emerged that the Arakan Army has planted a large number of landmines near the Bangladesh border, resulting in casualties. According to government officials and local representatives, these mines were likely laid to prevent members of Rohingya armed groups, who are in conflict with the Arakan Army, from entering their territory. However, like the Myanmar military, the Arakan Army has denied planting landmines in the border areas.

The Bangladesh–Myanmar border stretches approximately 271 kilometers through the Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar regions. Allegations have emerged that the Arakan Army has planted a large number of landmines near the Bangladesh border, resulting in casualties. According to government officials and local representatives, these mines were likely laid to prevent members of Rohingya armed groups, who are in conflict with the Arakan Army, from entering their territory. However, like the Myanmar military, the Arakan Army has denied planting landmines in the border areas.

Myanmar ranks among the top countries in the world for landmine-related casualties. This information was highlighted in the report titled Landmine Monitor 2024, published in November last year by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). The report stated that in 2023, a total of 1,003 people were killed or injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in Myanmar, while 933 such casualties occurred in Syria during the same period.

The United Nations introduced the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997, which prohibits the production, use, and stockpiling of landmines. However, Myanmar is one of the countries that has not signed this treaty.

Firoz explained that the Naf River is not far from his home. Across the river lies the Lalchar area, where there are several fish enclosures. Although these enclosures are inside Myanmar, people from the border areas often go there to fish. He had gone there for fishing when he was injured by a landmine explosion.

'My right leg was blown off'
Mohammad Firoz, who was injured in a landmine explosion, is from Amtali area of Ward No. 2 in Hwaikyang union, Teknaf upazila. He is currently undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital. When visited at the hospital last Monday, part of his right leg was found to be severed. Most of the remaining portion was wrapped in bandages. His wife, Sabekunnahar, is by his side.

Firoz explained that the Naf River is not far from his home. Across the river lies the Lalchar area, where there are several fish enclosures. Although these enclosures are inside Myanmar, people from the border areas often go there to fish. He had gone there for fishing when he was injured by a landmine explosion.

Recalling the explosion, fear flashed across his face. He said, “Many of us had gone fishing together. Usually, we would wade back through the water with the fish. But that day I was very hungry, so I decided to walk back along the ridge in the middle of the enclosure. Suddenly, there was an explosion. I lost consciousness for a moment. When I came to, I was standing like a tree, and my right leg was gone.”

Firoz continued, “I still had the fishing net over my shoulder. The fish basket was also hanging from my shoulder. There were around seven kilograms of fish in it. I dropped the net but held on to the basket. I thought, at least my children at home can eat the fish. Then I crawled some distance and shouted for help. Hearing my cries, nearby fishermen rescued me and took me to a hospital in Ukhiya. From there, I was transferred to Chittagong.”

Firoz, who has supported his family by fishing for over 20 years, said, “I’ve fished many times in that area before, where the explosion happened. I never faced anything like this before.”

I still had the fishing net over my shoulder. The fish basket was also hanging from my shoulder. There were around seven kilograms of fish in it. I dropped the net but held on to the basket. I thought, at least my children at home can eat the fish. Then I crawled some distance and shouted for help. Hearing my cries, nearby fishermen rescued me and took me to a hospital in Ukhiya. From there, I was transferred to Chittagong.

Firoz also shared that since the explosion, he has been deeply worried about providing for his family. He said he lives with his wife Sabekunnahar, their four sons, and two daughters. His income was the main source of support for the family. Recently, his eldest son, who is 18 years old, has started earning a small amount by working as a day laborer, but it’s not enough to run the household on his own.

Firoz said, “I’ve been in the hospital for a month now. My wife is covering the medical expenses by collecting money from others. I don’t know when I’ll be discharged. Even after I’m released, I’ll need long-term treatment. I have no idea how I’ll manage the cost of treatment or provide for my family. I’m completely at a loss.”

Abdus Salam, who was injured in a landmine explosion at the Naikhongchhari border in Bandarban.

The photo was taken last Wednesday afternoon at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
Abdus Salam, who was injured in a landmine explosion at the Naikhongchhari border in Bandarban. The photo was taken last Wednesday afternoon at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.Photot: Jewel Shill

Husband is missing, and now her son is gone too
Fifteen years ago, Rabeya Khatun’s husband left home to travel to Malaysia by sea. Since then, there has been no trace of him. In the meantime, on 7 July last year, Rabeya, 45, lost her son, Md Zubair, 18, in a landmine explosion.

Rabeya lives in a small makeshift hut made of bamboo and plastic sheets by the roadside in the Damdamia area of Teknaf. Though originally from Maungdaw in Myanmar, she has lived in Bangladesh for at least 30 years. When asked about her son Zubair, she broke down in tears. Through her sobs, she said, “I was hospitalised at the time due to illness. Zubair was at home. He went crab-catching with some locals to Laldia Char on the Naf River. There, a bomb (landmine) exploded and blew off his right leg. He later died.”

Rabeya added, “The explosion happened around 2:00pm. We got the news around 3:30pm. Some local people brought him back. He was apparently still alive near the house. He saw his elder brother and asked, ‘Where’s mom?’ Then he passed away. I rushed from the hospital and saw my son’s body.”

She said she has two sons and one daughter. Her husband, Hamid Hossain, left home 15 years ago to go to Malaysia and has not been heard from since. She doesn’t know whether he is alive or dead. Her elder son, Mohammad Ayaz, is married and lives with his in-laws. Since Zubair’s death, Rabeya has lived alone in the tiny hut with her teenage daughter. The hut, built on privately owned land, costs Tk 500 per month in rent.

Describing her hardship since her son’s death, Rabeya said, “My daughter works in other people’s houses. I work too if I can find something, otherwise I survive by asking for help from others. I don’t know if it’s possible for anyone to live in more misery than this. Life is very difficult.”

I was hospitalised at the time due to illness. Zubair was at home. He went crab-catching with some locals to Laldia Char on the Naf River. There, a bomb (landmine) exploded and blew off his right leg. He later died.---Rabeya Khatun

'Who will look after my farm? I don’t know how I’ll survive'

On 29 March of this year, Abdus Salam, 37, was injured in a landmine explosion 300 meters inside Myanmar territory, near the Chakdhala border of Naikhongchhari Sadar Union. The explosion severed the lower part of his left leg below the knee. He is currently receiving treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

When asked about the incident, Salam said he was working on his farmland near the zero line of the border, where he grows betel leaf and bananas among other crops. He crossed the border while chasing a monkey away from his field. Suddenly, a landmine exploded, blowing off part of his leg, including the ankle.

Salam said, “It’s a strange feeling knowing that part of my leg below the knee is gone. I’m a farmer. I have five children at home. I support my family by working in the fields. Now, who will take care of the farm? I don’t know how I will survive. Still, I have no bitterness. The explosion could have taken my life. I’m grateful to be alive.”

Salam shared that his medical expenses have already exceeded Tk 100,000. “I had surgery on my leg a few days ago. I’m feeling a bit better now. Hopefully, I’ll be discharged from the hospital in a few days,” he said.

Salam said, “It’s a strange feeling knowing that part of my leg below the knee is gone. I’m a farmer. I have five children at home. I support my family by working in the fields. Now, who will take care of the farm? I don’t know how I will survive. Still, I have no bitterness. The explosion could have taken my life. I’m grateful to be alive.---Abdus Salam

Those injured or killed this year
Most recently, on Thursday, a Bangladeshi woodcutter was injured in a landmine explosion at the Reju Amtali border, located between Naikhongchhari in Bandarban and Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar. The victim, Monsur Alam, 30, is the son of Siraj Mia from Tulatoli village in Rajapalong union, Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar. His left leg was severely injured in the explosion. Other injured individuals this year include: Mohammad Zubair, 30 on 26 April, Md Tayeb, 35, on 8 April, Mohammad Firoz, 45, on 6 April, Abdus Salam, 37, on 29 March, Mohammad Babu, 18, on 26 March, Mohammad Sirajul Islam, 14, on 14 February, Taqi Uddin, 20, on 3 February and Nabi Hossain, 48 on 1 February.

On 24 January, four individuals were injured in separate incidents on the same day: Md. Russel, 24, Arif Ullah, 30, Ayat Ullah, 25, and Ali Hossain, 32.
These individuals were injured 200 to 300 meters inside Myanmar territory, beyond the zero line at border areas such as Chakdhala, Phultoli, Jaruliachhari, Nikochhari, Bhalukhaiya, Jamgachhari in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban, and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar. One person sustained injuries to the chest, while the others mostly suffered severe leg injuries.

To understand how Bangladeshis are crossing the tightly secured border and entering beyond the zero line, multiple attempts were made to contact officials of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), but none of them responded.

Naikhongchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Muhammad Majharul Islam Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that the Bangladesh–Myanmar border in Naikhongchhari is approximately 120 kilometers long, and not all areas are fenced with barbed wire. Many people manage to bypass BGB patrols and enter Myanmar territory, where they end up injured in mine explosions.

UNO Majharul Islam Chowdhury also said that most of the injured individuals are involved in smuggling. Awareness campaigns are being conducted regularly at the union level to prevent people from illegally crossing the border and risking their lives.

Fifteen years ago, Rabeya Khatun’s husband left home to travel to Malaysia by sea. He has been missing ever since. In the meantime, she lost her son, Md Zubair, in a landmine explosion in July last year.

Fifteen years ago, Rabeya Khatun’s husband left home to travel to Malaysia by sea. He has been missing ever since. In the meantime, she lost her son, Md Zubair, in a landmine explosion in July last year.Photo: Gias Uddin

Causes behind the casualties

Discussions with members of law enforcement agencies and local representatives reveal that many residents on both sides of the border cross it without going through legal procedures. People often cross the border for activities like logging, herding cattle, farming, or fishing. Additionally, many are involved in cross-border smuggling and regularly move between the two countries. These are the people who are primarily being injured or killed in landmine explosions along the border.

Currently, landmines are planted in most areas along the Myanmar–Bangladesh border. However, the highest concentration appears to be near the border adjacent to Naikhongchhari upazila. Even slight carelessness can result in fatal accidents due to these hidden mines.

When asked, Naikhongchhari Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Masrurul Haque said that the explosions are occurring inside Myanmar. It is not possible to say for sure why people are going into those areas.

According to what is commonly heard, residents of border villages cross the line to herd cattle, collect firewood, or transport goods.

Faridul Alam, a member of Ward No. 6 of Naikhongchhari Sadar Union Parishad, said that most people in the border area are poor. Many cross into Myanmar for smuggling. Some people collect and sell metal posts and scrap iron from the barbed wire fences along the border. They make up a large portion of those injured or killed. In response to a question, he said, “All of the landmine explosions have occurred along the zero line of the border.”

When asked, Naikhongchhari Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Masrurul Haque said that the explosions are occurring inside Myanmar. It is not possible to say for sure why people are going into those areas.

Who is planting the landmines

The increasing use of landmines by both the Myanmar military and armed groups has been highlighted in the Landmine Monitor 2024 report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). The report also mentions that image analysis suggests mines are being manufactured within Myanmar.

Faridul Alam, a Union Parishad member from Naikhongchhari, said that the Myanmar military initially planted mines along the border. Faridul Alam believes that the Arakan Army has planted landmines primarily to deter members of armed Rohingya groups. Several statements from the police to the media have also attributed the recent explosions to mines planted by the Arakan Army.

Most of those injured by landmines along the border are ordinary civilians. That’s because smugglers usually know where the mines are and how to avoid them, so they are rarely injured. What we can do is first discourage people from going into these dangerous areas through awareness campaigns. Beyond that, it may also be possible to engage in dialogue with the Arakan Army on this issue.

Retired Major Emdadul Islam

Retired Major Emdadul Islam, who previously served as the head of the Bangladesh Mission in Sittwe, Myanmar, and is also a writer on regional security issues, spoke to Prothom Alo about the situation. He said that most of the landmine explosions are caused by mines planted by the Myanmar military. However, it is believed that the Arakan Army is also laying mines, likely out of concern over facing resistance from armed Rohingya groups. Planting landmines in this manner constitutes a violation of international law. Even if mines are placed, signboards must be posted to warn people.

Emdadul Islam further stated, “Most of those injured by landmines along the border are ordinary civilians. That’s because smugglers usually know where the mines are and how to avoid them, so they are rarely injured. What we can do is first discourage people from going into these dangerous areas through awareness campaigns. Beyond that, it may also be possible to engage in dialogue with the Arakan Army on this issue.”

*Prothom Alo’s Teknaf correspondent Gias Uddin contributed to this report by providing information.​

 

[Saif]

EU pursuing political solution to Rohingya crisis: envoy

Ambassador and head of delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller said the EU is working for a political solution to the Rohingya crisis in support of a safe, voluntary, and dignified return of the forcibly displaced...

www.newagebd.net

EU pursuing political solution to Rohingya crisis: envoy
Staff Correspondent 05 May, 2025, 13:46

Ambassador and head of delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller addresses the DCAB Talk organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Monday. | New Age photo

Ambassador and head of delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller said the EU is working for a political solution to the Rohingya crisis in support of a safe, voluntary, and dignified return of the forcibly displaced people to their homeland Myanmar.

‘We support a political solution — the only viable path forward. We are working hard to facilitate it,’ said the EU envoy at a ‘DCAB Talk’ organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh at the National Press Club in the capital Dhaka.

Responding to a question about the position of the EU regarding the Rohingya crisis as Bangladesh is under fresh pressure to allow in more Rohingyas from the conflict-ridden Rakhine State and providing a humanitarian channel to the conflict zone, now being largely controlled by ethnic rebel Arakan Army, he said both Bangladesh and the EU believe that the return of Rohingyas must be safe, voluntary, and dignified.

As for allowing the humanitarian channel, he said that governments of both the countries must agree for a safe passage to provide assistances to the refugees on the other side of the border.

‘As a humanitarian partner for Bangladesh, we are quite happy to be pragmatic about how we can meet the needs of the refugees. If the refugees are here, we will meet their needs here. If they are on the other side of the border, we will also look at how we can channel assistance to them there,’ the diplomat said.

He said they have provided such cross-border assistance in other parts of the world. ‘But it can only work when individuals are safe on both sides of the border and when the governments agree,’ Miller added.

He, however, praised Bangladesh for its humanitarian efforts in hosting the displaced Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar camps.

Asked about the United Nations’ fact-finding report on the July mass uprising, which forced the fall of the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina in August, 2024, he said they supported the work of the UN fact-finding mission and underscored the need for holding accountable those behind the ‘terrible crimes’ committed during the student-led mass uprising.

DCAB president AKM Moinuddin and general secretary Md Arifuzzaman Mamun also spoke at the event.

More than 1.3 million Myanmar nationals from the Rohingya community have fled to Bangladesh amid brutal atrocities in the Rakhine State by the Myanmar military since 2017, according to Bangladesh government data.

Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has pressed the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner to ensure accommodating 1.13 lakh more Rohingyas, who entered Bangladesh between November 2023 and April 27, 2025, amid uncertainties of repatriation.

RRRC officials said that Rohingyas continued to enter Bangladesh as conflicts in Myanmar’s Rakhine state went on.​

 

[Saif]

Hundreds flee across Thai border after attack on Myanmar military

More than 300 Myanmar people fled into Thailand to seek refuge following an assault on the military by ethnic armed groups, Thailand said Thursday, days after the junta extended a post-earthquake ceasefire.

www.newagebd.net

Hundreds flee across Thai border after attack on Myanmar military
Agence France-Presse . Bangkok 09 May, 2025, 00:43

A view of Kyauk Khet in Myanmar's Kayin State is seen from Thailand's Phop Phra district in Tak province along the Thai-Myanmar border on Feb 12, 2025. | AFP file photo

More than 300 Myanmar people fled into Thailand to seek refuge following an assault on the military by ethnic armed groups, Thailand said Thursday, days after the junta extended a post-earthquake ceasefire.

Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict since a military coup in 2021, with the junta battling a coalition of ethnic armed organisations and pro-democracy resistance forces.

Wednesday’s attack by the Karen National Liberation Army and its allied Karen National Defence Organisation targeted a military base in Kayin state, about 2.5 kilometres from the Thai border, according to the Thai military.

‘The attack involved a close-range encirclement of the base and the use of armed drones to continuously drop explosives throughout the day,’ a statement said.

By Thursday, 327 Myanmar nationals had crossed into Thailand and were sheltering in two temporary sites, including a temple, with Thai military and police providing security and humanitarian aid, officials said.

Thai forces have ramped up patrols along the border in Tak province to prevent what officials described as a potential ‘breach of sovereignty by foreign armed forces’.

Myanmar’s military government and various armed groups opposed to it announced a ceasefire after the March 28 quake to help relief and recovery efforts.

The truce has been repeatedly broken by air strikes by the junta and attacks by armed groups.

The magnitude-7.7 quake near the central city of Mandalay killed nearly 3,800 and left tens of thousands homeless.​

 

[Saif]

The Rohingya crisis: Empty promises, endless sufferings

One of the most visible and immediate consequences of this increased population pressure is the growing food insecurity across the camps.

www.thedailystar.net

The Rohingya crisis: Empty promises, endless sufferings

Over 118,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh in the past year alone. Photo: REUTERS

Despite repeated international pledges and Myanmar's recent announcement to repatriate 180,000 Rohingya refugees, the reality on the ground tells a troubling and contradictory story. Over 118,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh in the past year alone. Their perilous journeys, often undertaken by foot or sea, underscore the continued absence of safety, rights, and dignity in their homeland. These new arrivals lay bare the emptiness of Myanmar's repatriation rhetoric, exposing it as a performative gesture rather than a genuine effort towards justice or durable solutions. For Bangladesh—already hosting more than 1.3 million Rohingya since 2017—this renewed influx has reignited a humanitarian emergency, further straining infrastructure, essential services, and the already stretched resilience of host communities.

At the heart of this crisis are the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar—the world's largest refugee settlement. Initially intended for temporary protection, these camps have evolved into sprawling settlements of chronic vulnerability. The arrival of newly displaced Rohingya has pushed the system even further to its limits. With no land left for expansion, many new arrivals are forced to squeeze into already congested shelters or build makeshift homes on unstable, landslide-prone hillsides. In some shelters, 8 to 10 family members occupy a single room. This level of overcrowding is not only inhumane—it directly fuels fragmented health and protection risks. Poor ventilation and inadequate sanitation contribute to the spread of communicable diseases. Fire hazards rise with the density of makeshift structures. Hill-cutting to make space accelerates deforestation and erosion, making the entire landscape more vulnerable to climate-induced disasters. With the monsoon season approaching, the risk of floods and landslides adds another layer of danger to those already living on the edge of survival. In short, the new arrivals do not just stretch housing capacity—they elevate every associated risk and deepen existing vulnerabilities.

One of the most visible and immediate consequences of this increased population pressure is the growing food insecurity across the camps. The 2025-26 Joint Response Plan, developed by the Government of Bangladesh and humanitarian partners, was meant to address the needs of millions of people. Yet this plan is grossly underfunded, as global attention remains fixed on other crises in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. In March 2025, the World Food Programme announced another drastic cut in food rations, reducing monthly support from $12.50 to just $6 per person. This amount is woefully inadequate to meet even the most basic nutritional requirements and sends a disturbing message to refugee families: that their survival is no longer a global priority. The fallout is already visible—UNICEF recently reported a 27 percent surge in cases of severe acute malnutrition among children in the camps within just one year. The newly arrived refugees, most of whom come after weeks of undernourishment and stress, now face an even bleaker situation. Without documentation, many cannot access immediate food assistance, leaving them dependent on already overstretched support systems. Moreover, this additional number creates a reality where the limited aid available must stretch even further. Current allocations, falling to roughly one-third of what was provided just a year ago, raise serious concerns about how long this fragile humanitarian response can hold.

Closely tied to food insecurity is the rapidly collapsing health system. Healthcare services in the camps were already struggling to meet the needs of the existing population due to overcrowding, dwindling supplies, and a lack of healthcare personnel. The recent influx has overwhelmed them further. Many of the newly arrived suffer from chronic conditions, injuries, untreated infections, and psychological trauma. Like previous waves of displacement, they come with extremely low health literacy, making it difficult for them to access care or follow treatment. While past years saw gradual improvements in health awareness due to continuous community engagement, such efforts are no longer feasible. Frontline health workers are now diverted to emergency services like nutrition stabilisation, outbreak prevention, and maternal care, leaving little room for outreach at the level required by the newly arrived. The camps are already reported to have a high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, which is expected to be high among the new arrivals as well, given the prevalence in Myanmar. This, along with cuts to food assistance, raises the risk of a further surge in HIV/AIDS, exacerbated by reported refugee involvement in prostitution and drug use, where local Bangladeshis are reportedly the primary clients. Meanwhile, mental health services—already minimal—are unable to meet the psychological needs of both newly-arrived and long-term refugees, despite widespread exposure to violence, displacement, and family separation. The recent cuts to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding, which supported programmes related to HIV/AIDS treatment, immunisation, and chronic disease management, have made matters worse, increasing the risk of preventable deaths and long-term disability. As more people arrive with urgent health needs, the fragile system edges closer to collapse.

Rising insecurity in the camps has also worsened. As aid dwindles and desperation mounts, armed groups and criminal networks have gained ground. Newly arrived refugees—unfamiliar with camp dynamics—are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The influx has further strained an already fragile education system, mostly operated by NGOs.

Tensions are rising in host communities, where poverty, deforestation, inflation, and competition for basic services have fuelled growing resentment. Though the Rohingya movement is restricted, their involvement in informal labour markets—especially in agriculture and construction—has disrupted local livelihoods. Once grounded in compassion and shared identity, host-refugee relations are now fraying. Without urgent support and sustainable solutions, these tensions risk escalating into open conflict, threatening both humanitarian efforts and regional stability.

Diplomatically, the crisis underscores a profound failure of accountability. Myanmar's repatriation promises ring hollow, as people continue fleeing instead of returning. Despite clear evidence of genocide, there have been no meaningful reforms. The international community has failed to apply sustained pressure on Myanmar or adequately support Bangladesh. Generosity alone cannot carry the burden that Bangladesh bears. Without urgent global action—including funding, resettlement, and policy reform—the crisis will deepen. What's needed now is not more promises, but real commitments to justice and shared responsibility. This is not just a logistical challenge; it is a test of global humanity.

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

 

[Saif]

Myanmar junta airstrike kills 22 at school

A Myanmar junta airstrike hit a school Monday killing 22 people, including 20 children, witnesses said, despite a purported humanitarian ceasefire called to help the nation recover from a devastating earthquake...

www.newagebd.net

Myanmar junta airstrike kills 22 at school
Agence France-Presse . Depeyin, Myanmar 13 May, 2025, 00:15

A Myanmar junta airstrike hit a school Monday killing 22 people, including 20 children, witnesses said, despite a purported humanitarian ceasefire called to help the nation recover from a devastating earthquake.

The strike hit a school in the village of Oe Htein Kwin — around 100 kilometres northwest of the epicentre of the March 28 quake — at about 10:00am (0330 GMT), locals said.

The green school building was a shattered husk on Monday afternoon, its metal roof crumpled with gaping holes blasted through its brickwork walls.

Over a dozen abandoned book bags were piled before a pole flying the Myanmar flag outside, as parents chiselled small graves out of the hard earth to bury the shrouded bodies of their children.

‘For now 22 people in total — 20 children and two teachers — have been killed,’ said a 34-year-old teacher at the school, asking to remain anonymous.

‘We tried to spread out the children, but the fighter was too fast and dropped its bombs,’ she added. ‘I haven’t been able to collect all the casualty data as parents are in a rush.’

An education official from the area of the village in Sagaing region gave the same toll.

A Myanmar junta spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

Myanmar has been riven by civil war since the military deposed a civilian government in 2021, with the junta suffering stinging losses to a myriad of anti-coup guerillas and long-active ethnic armed groups.

But the military pledged a ceasefire throughout this month ‘to continue the rebuilding and rehabilitation process’ after the magnitude 7.7 quake in Myanmar’s central belt that killed nearly 3,800 people.

Tens of thousands are still living outside after the catastrophic jolt demolished or badly damaged their homes, facing the prospect of the monsoon season starting in the coming weeks.

‘The needs are immense,’ Jagan Chapagain, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said on Monday.

‘My worry is that time is not on our side.’

The United Nations and independent conflict monitors say the junta has continued its campaign of aerial bombardment despite the armistice meant to alleviate suffering.

Last week, the UN said that since the earthquake more than 200 civilians had been killed in at least 243 military attacks, including 171 airstrikes.

In its ceasefire declaration, the military warned it would take ‘necessary defensive measures’ if pressed by its opponents.

Numerous anti-coup and ethnic armed groups have made own pledges to pause hostilities.

However during the truce some residents in eastern Myanmar said they have been displaced as anti-coup forces besieged junta-held towns on a lucrative trade route towards Thailand.

The March earthquake saw the ground shear up to six metres in places according to NASA analysis — levelling apartments, opening yawning holes in roads and collapsing one major bridge.

The relief response is also being hobbled by funding shortfalls after US president Donald Trump slashed Washington’s international aid budget.​

 

[Saif]

Can Myanmar turn disaster into dialogue?

THE recent earthquake in Myanmar has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis in the war-torn region bordering Bangladesh. The 7.9 magnitude earthquake that struck the Sagaing region of Myanmar on March 28 has resulted in the death of more than 5,000 people and the destruction of more than 120,000...

www.newagebd.net

Can Myanmar turn disaster into dialogue?
Muhammad Asiful Basar 16 May, 2025, 00:00

Rescuers on a collapsed building in Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 30. | The New Humanitarian

THE recent earthquake in Myanmar has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis in the war-torn region bordering Bangladesh. The 7.9 magnitude earthquake that struck the Sagaing region of Myanmar on March 28 has resulted in the death of more than 5,000 people and the destruction of more than 120,000 houses as well as thousands of sites related to religion, schools and government buildings. The affected population is nearly 17 million, surpassing that of the Dhaka city. The disaster has split Myanmar socio-economically nearly in a half and caused extensive damage from the north to the south. The country, already facing a severe humanitarian crisis as a result of extended military governance and widespread civil unrest, is now confronted with a natural disaster that has intensified the existing challenges. This situation has brought Myanmar to a critical juncture, which seems to be exceedingly difficult for an undemocratic and unpopular regime to manage.

The earthquake has further exacerbated the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar. Despite the junta’s declaration of a ceasefire, numerous attacks have been reported, indicating that hostilities persist during this humanitarian crisis. According to the Democratic Voice of Burma, between March 28 and April 5, Myanmar’s military airstrikes resulted in the death of 68 individuals across the Karen, northern Shan, Bago and Sagaing regions. The People’s Defence Force, a rebel group operating in various provinces of Myanmar, announced a partial ceasefire for two weeks, beginning on March 30.

However, on March 31, the junta conducted an airstrike in Singu Township, Mandalay, injuring several residents and destroying their houses. This violation of the international law, occurring amidst a humanitarian crisis triggered by a significant natural disaster, demands serious attention from the international community. Additionally, the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which is composed of three distinct rebel factions in Arakan and Shan states, declared a partial ceasefire on April 1. Nevertheless, that same evening, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing expressed his intention to continue military operations against the anti-junta coalition, asserting his belief that this alliance is preparing for future assaults.

The military has also been accused of obstructing and diverting foreign aid from opposition-controlled territories to more neutral zones. Recently, the Guardian has reported that a medical team led by two Australian doctors accused the junta of blocking international aid to the most affected region of Mandalay and confiscating relief items without any valid justification. Besides, much of the delivery of the aid to the affected zones is heavily dependent on military logistic supplies. The report also states that the military is using logistical challenges as an excuse for failing to deliver aid to rebel-held areas.

This situation indicates that the dynamics of the Myanmar civil war are becoming increasingly complex and precarious. It has already brought Myanmar to a critical juncture. The junta must recognise that the current crisis has created an opportunity for peace and reconciliation in Myanmar, which they should leverage in favour of the country’s sovereignty. In this reconciliation process, they must seek assistance from the international community. The Malaysian prime minister has announced plans to meet Myanmar’s junta leader to advocate for an extension to the ceasefire between the military government and rebel groups. The United Nations has also proposed a humanitarian channel through Bangladesh, which has sparked political controversy both in Bangladesh and the surrounding region.

Studies on disaster diplomacy indicate that during a critical juncture, military-controlled relief operations often serve as a tool to suppress communities that are already marginalised and disloyal to the military. The military uses relief efforts as a diplomatic and strategic weapon to undermine opposing forces. For example, the Sri Lankan government exploited the 2004 tsunami disaster by restricting the flow of aid and rehabilitation measures, which ultimately escalated tension between the government and the rebel group, the LTTE. By 2008, this strategy effectively dismantled the resistance of the rebels in Sri Lanka.

On the contrary, there are several other studies that explain how natural disasters, as external shocks, create opportune moments for conflict resolution in various countries throughout history. A notable example is the Aceh conflict in Indonesia, where, after six months of a devastating earthquake and a massive tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean region in 2004, commonly referred to as the Indian Ocean Tsunami, a peace agreement was reached between the Aceh liberation forces and the Indonesian government.

The development occurred because the Indonesian government recognised the importance of de-escalating conflicts by reallocating resources that had previously been designated for military actions against separatists. Furthermore, they understood the widespread public sympathy for the victims, which resonated across the nation. Both the government and rebel groups found it essential to establish temporary cooperation and cease hostilities to ensure that aid reached those in need. Additionally, the Indonesian government acknowledged that they could not sustain this cooperation without international intervention. Consequently, they engaged Finland and ASEAN in the dialogue and, ultimately, within six months of the disaster, both parties agreed to sign a permanent peace accord.

The earthquake highlights the junta’s strained relations with international donors and its tight controls over affected areas, raising concern about its ability and willingness to support survivors. It is important to acknowledge that this disaster has exposed Myanmar’s vulnerabilities in managing national crises while simultaneously presenting a significant opportunity for the military junta to alleviate the prevailing tensions within the nation. The only viable option available to establish long-term peace may be the use of disaster diplomacy, a strategy designed to restore trust and authority. Any deviation from this approach is likely to result in further fragmentation in Myanmar in the coming days.

Muhammad Asiful Basar, a senior lecturer at the North South University, is a doctoral candidate, Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp, Belgium.​