Bangladesh Demands Assurances for Rohingya Repatriation Before Full Support
By RO Maung Shwe | Cox’s Bazar | May 9, 2025
Bangladesh has agreed in principle to the United Nations’ proposal for establishing a humanitarian corridor to Rakhine State, Myanmar. However, the interim government has made it clear that its cooperation will depend on firm guarantees related to Rohingya repatriation, safety, and political conditions inside Rakhine.
Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain made the announcement on Saturday during a briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating that while Dhaka supports the corridor initiative under UN supervision, specific conditions must be met before it proceeds.
Corridor Gains Momentum Amid Looming Famine in Rakhine
The idea of a humanitarian corridor gathered urgency after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Bangladesh last month. During his four-day trip, he proposed channeling humanitarian aid into Myanmar’s war-torn Rakhine region through Bangladesh, hoping it could also pave the way for voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees.
Guterres acknowledged, however, that such a corridor would require the “authorization and cooperation of all parties to the conflict”—including the Myanmar military junta and the Arakan Army (AA), which currently controls over 80 percent of Rakhine.
A UNDP report from November 2024 warned of an impending famine in Rakhine, predicting that domestic food production would meet only 20 percent of the population’s needs by March–April 2025. With trade routes cut off, over 2 million people are now at risk of starvation.
Dhaka’s Conditions: Repatriation Comes First
While Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain did not disclose specific terms, diplomatic sources suggest that a conducive environment for Rohingya repatriation is a primary condition. Bangladesh currently hosts around 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled military atrocities in 2017 and remain stranded in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Touhid acknowledged that although Bangladesh does not officially engage with the Arakan Army, the reality on the ground makes it difficult to remain detached. The AA’s growing control over northern Rakhine has turned them into a key stakeholder in any future repatriation or humanitarian access.
“Even if we want to remain detached, we cannot,” Touhid said, referencing border security concerns and the need to understand the situation inside Rakhine.
Experts Warn: Security and Clarity Must Precede Aid Access
Foreign policy analysts welcomed Dhaka’s cautious approach but stressed that concrete guarantees must precede any humanitarian intervention.
Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, Executive Director of the Centre for Alternatives and former professor of international relations at Dhaka University, said:
“Bangladesh can deliver aid to AA-controlled regions if any country or agency supplies it. But the idea of the humanitarian corridor remains vague. Will the UN take responsibility if it escalates the conflict?”
Professor Niloy Ranjan Biswas, also of Dhaka University, emphasized that a UN Security Council resolution would be required to deploy peacekeepers—an unlikely scenario given the anticipated opposition from China and Russia.
“A full ceasefire between Myanmar’s junta and the Arakan Army is essential before any corridor can be established. Security is non-negotiable,” Biswas said.
He added that Dhaka should have made the conditions more explicit, particularly regarding how the UN plans to ensure security and whether the AA is willing to cooperate with the process.
Ground Reality: Rohingya Still Fleeing, Repatriation Stalled
According to Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, 30 to 40 Rohingya refugees continue to cross the border daily, fleeing conflict and persecution in northern Rakhine. He reiterated the need for clear commitments from the Arakan Army regarding safe and voluntary repatriation.
The Rohingya community has consistently demanded:
- Full citizenship in Myanmar
- Recognition as an ethnic minority group
- Guarantees of safety and freedom of movement
None of these demands have been met by either the Myanmar junta or previous civilian administrations in the past eight years.
“We must understand the Arakan Army’s position on Rohingya repatriation,” said Professor Biswas. “Without clarity, even a humanitarian corridor risks becoming a symbolic gesture.”
Behind-the-Scenes Diplomacy with Myanmar and AA
Although Dhaka maintains no formal contact with the AA, informal engagements have increased in recent months. Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman recently met Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Than Swe during the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
Than Swe reportedly stated that 180,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are eligible for return under existing agreements.
Commenting on the evolving strategy, Imtiaz Ahmed noted:
“Bangladesh must consider future relations with both Myanmar’s central government and the Arakan Army. We must also assess how key players like the US, India, and China perceive this issue.”
A government official involved in the process added:
“It is critical to ensure that no armed group exploits the corridor for political or military gain. The humanitarian space must remain neutral.”
What’s Next? Uncertainty Remains
Bangladesh’s conditional agreement to the proposed corridor signals cautious pragmatism. While the initiative offers a potential lifeline to civilians trapped in Rakhine’s conflict zones, its success will depend on:
- Firm assurances from the Myanmar junta and the Arakan Army
- UN clarity on implementation, monitoring, and security
- Concrete commitments toward Rohingya repatriation and recognition
Until then, the corridor remains more a diplomatic ambition than an operational reality.
