[🇧🇩] Insurgencies in Myanmar. Implications for Bangladesh

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Bangladesh bets on China diplomacy to end decade-long Rohingya impasse

Nearly a decade after the mass displacement of Rohingya from Myanmar, Bangladesh is turning to China in search of a breakthrough. Dhaka announced this month it plans to hold trilateral talks with China and Myanmar, with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir stressing that only a politic

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Bangladesh bets on China diplomacy to end decade-long Rohingya impasse

Nearly a decade after the mass displacement of Rohingya from Myanmar, Bangladesh is turning to China in search of a breakthrough.

Dhaka announced this month it plans to hold trilateral talks with China and Myanmar, with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir stressing that only a political settlement can resolve the crisis, reports Arab News.

Bangladesh insists any return must be safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable.

China is central to the effort. Beijing maintains working relationships with both Dhaka and Naypyidaw, holds significant economic interests in the region and has been involved in Rohingya diplomacy before—helping establish a trilateral mechanism in 2019 that ultimately yielded little progress.

The renewed push carries fresh economic urgency.

Rakhine sits along critical infrastructure under China’s regional connectivity plans, including the Kyaukphyu Deep Sea Port and pipelines linking Myanmar’s coast to China. A Bangladesh-China-Myanmar economic corridor is also under discussion—a project whose viability depends on stability in Rakhine.

China’s position is also diplomatically unique. Unlike Western governments constrained by sanctions, Beijing has maintained access to Naypyidaw while deepening ties with Dhaka—a combination few other actors can offer.

The obstacles remain serious. Myanmar’s civil war has reshaped the political landscape, and any return will have to address citizenship, security and political inclusion in areas where territorial control has shifted considerably.

For China, however, the incentives are real. A stable Rakhine secures infrastructure investments, deepens regional connectivity and reduces instability on its doorstep.

After nine years, the question is whether Beijing has the will to use its leverage.​

 

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PM seeks international support for dignified return of Rohingyas

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought continued support from the international community for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis and the dignified return of the displaced people to their homeland in Myanmar. He made the call during a meeting with Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the UN

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PM seeks international support for dignified return of Rohingyas

UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop (left) holds a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in New York on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UNGA session. Photo: PMO

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought continued support from the international community for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis and the dignified return of the displaced people to their homeland in Myanmar.

He made the call during a meeting with Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar, at the Hyatt Grand Central New York hotel on Tuesday, said PM’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon.

The meeting focused on the Rohingya crisis and the need for an effective role by the international community in resolving the long-standing problem

“The Prime Minister sought international cooperation to ensure the safe and dignified return of the Rohingyas to their homeland,” Rumon said.

The meeting took place as the Prime Minister is in New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where the Rohingya crisis is among the issues receiving particular attention during his visit.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Irene Khan, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam were present at the meeting.

On Wednesday, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to join a high-level side event on the Rohingya crisis titled “The Rohingya Crisis: A Renewed Call for a Durable Solution from Protracted Displacement, with Justice and Accountability.”

Bangladesh and The Gambia are co-hosting the event, with the European Union as a co-sponsor.

The event is intended to renew international political and humanitarian support for resolving the crisis, strengthen accountability efforts and support conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Rohingyas to Myanmar.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also called for sustained international support for Bangladesh and other refugee-hosting countries and for efforts to address the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and create conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable returns.

Julie Bishop, who serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, has been engaging stakeholders on the Myanmar crisis and the Rohingya issue.

During his New York visit, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is holding a series of bilateral and high-level meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. He is scheduled to deliver his maiden address at the General Assembly on September 24.​

 

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PM, UN refugee chief discuss sustainable solution to Rohingya crisis

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih held a high-level meeting on Tuesday to discuss a sustainable solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis and the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the displaced people to Myanmar. The meeting was held at the Pri

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

PM, UN refugee chief discuss sustainable solution to Rohingya crisis

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman (Third from the right) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih (Second from the left) hold a high-level meeting on the Rohingya crisis at the Hyatt Grand Central New York hotel in New York on Tuesday. — Photo: PMO

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih held a high-level meeting on Tuesday to discuss a sustainable solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis and the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the displaced people to Myanmar.

The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s place of residence at the Hyatt Grand Central New York hotel, according to a release issued by the PM’s Press Wing.

They discussed creating a conducive environment for the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar and the need for an effective and coordinated role by the international community to help resolve the crisis.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh had been hosting a large number of Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds for years and that there is no alternative to their safe and dignified return to their homeland for a lasting solution to the crisis.

He stressed the need for stronger and more coordinated international efforts to facilitate their repatriation.

The two sides also stressed the importance of continuing humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas and strengthening international cooperation to expedite the repatriation process.

Barham Salih appreciated Bangladesh’s humanitarian role in hosting the Rohingyas and underscored the importance of continued international cooperation to find a sustainable solution to the crisis.

The meeting took place as the Prime Minister is in New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Rohingya crisis is among the key issues on Bangladesh’s agenda during the Prime Minister’s visit.

Tarique Rahman is scheduled to attend a high-level side event on the Rohingya crisis on Wednesday, where Bangladesh will call for renewed international efforts for a durable solution to the prolonged displacement.​