Bangladesh has conveyed to the United States that peace in Myanmar will remain elusive even if the ongoing conflict there ends unless the Rohingya crisis is resolved.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, speaking to reporters on Friday, emphasized this message during a meeting with a US delegation on Thursday. "If the Rohingya problem is not resolved, peace will not come to Myanmar even after the war ends. I strongly said this," Touhid Hossain stated.
Bangladesh currently hosts over 1.2 million Rohingyas in camps located in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char Island. Adviser Hossain highlighted the complexities of dealing with the evolving situation, including the presence of non-state actors.
“We are now facing new realities, with new neighbors who are non-state actors. We cannot deal with them directly, nor can we ignore them. This is a difficult situation,” he said.
The Adviser expressed hope for a future resolution, adding that international pressure would be critical. “Our friends and powerful states must create pressure. Rohingyas need to be seen humanely, and their rights must be restored in Myanmar.”
The US delegation included Nicole Ann Chulick, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), and Andrew R. Herrup, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. They met separately with Adviser Hossain, National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin to discuss mutual interests.
Chulick focused on bilateral issues, while Herrup addressed the Myanmar crisis, according to Touhid Hossain.
Bangladesh sought enhanced political and humanitarian assistance from the US to address the Rohingya crisis. Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin described the discussions as broad-ranging, with a focus on resolving the issue.
