Arakan News Agency
Bangladesh High Representative on Rohingya Issues, Dr Khalilur Rahman, has stated that no agreement has been made yet regarding a humanitarian corridor to Arakan state in Western Myanmar.
“We have not discussed or made any agreement or understanding regarding a humanitarian corridor. This is not a humanitarian corridor; it is a humanitarian channel. The definitions of a corridor and a channel are different”, Khalilur Rahman stated.
He also dismissed claims that Bangladesh would engage in a proxy war on behalf of the United States under the guise of a humanitarian corridor, calling the information false and misleading. He added that Bangladesh respects Myanmar’s sovereignty and has no intention of destabilizing the country.
Khalilur Rahman emphasized that the solution to the Rohingya issue lies not in their consolidation but in their repatriation. “We firmly believe that the Rohingyas will return. We believe we will find a way for their repatriation. It will not be easy, but we will make it happen” the high representative said.
Bangladesh recently announced its initial approval, subject to specific conditions, of a UN proposal to establish a humanitarian corridor through Bangladesh to deliver aid to Arakan, which is suffering from a major humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations Development Program warned in a report at the end of last year that nearly two million people in Arakan were at risk of severe famine due to poverty, food shortages, and the blockade in the state. It called for the lifting of all restrictions to allow the flow of commercial goods.
More than one million Rohingya refugees currently live in the Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh, fleeing violence and persecution in Myanmar. The numbers increased significantly following the renewed violence and persecution against them since the Arakan Army launched a military campaign to seize control of Arakan in November 2023. The United Nations describes Cox’s Bazar as the largest refugee camp in the world.
