Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Towhid Hossain has announced that his country must now engage with the Arakan Army (AA) as the entire Rakhine-Bangladesh border region has fallen under AA control, with the military council losing all influence in the area. This statement was made during a press conference held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on April 27. The advisor emphasized that since the AA now controls the entire border area and the military council has no remaining authority, Bangladesh will need to maintain necessary diplomatic relations with the AA.
Furthermore, Hossain revealed that Bangladesh has agreed to the United Nations’ request to establish a humanitarian corridor along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border to provide aid to conflict-affected civilians in Rakhine State. He explained that while Bangladesh has approved this humanitarian route in principle, there are certain conditions that need to be met before implementation. The advisor stated that they would definitely assist once these conditions are fulfilled, though he refrained from elaborating on the specific requirements.
The Foreign Affairs Advisor also emphasized that the ongoing conflict in Myanmar directly affects Bangladesh’s national interests, particularly given that Bangladesh currently hosts over 1.3 million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar’s military violence in August 2017. He stressed that Bangladesh is actively working towards creating conditions that would enable these refugees to return to Myanmar safely. The refugee crisis remains a significant bilateral issue between the two countries, with Bangladesh seeking sustainable solutions for the displaced populations while managing the humanitarian challenges posed by hosting such a large number of refugees. The establishment of the humanitarian corridor and engagement with the AA represent significant developments in Bangladesh’s approach to addressing these complex regional challenges.
