Bangladesh has expressed its policy-level agreement under United Nations (UN) supervision for establishing a “humanitarian corridor” to deliver aid to war-torn Rakhine in Myanmar. However, questions are being raised in various quarters about who is making such a significant decision, where, through what process, and based on what grounds, according to a report by BBC Bangla.
Many analysts have questioned whether an interim government should be making such a sensitive decision. They argue that without political consensus within the country, and unless all regional players with influence in Myanmar—including the junta and the Arakan Army—are in agreement, the proposed corridor could pose military and security risks for Bangladesh.
Some security analysts have noted that the UN and Western countries may consider alternative routes via Myanmar’s coastal areas along the Bay of Bengal or the Sittwe port, rather than involving Bangladesh.
Researchers and analysts who have long worked on the Rohingya and Myanmar issues say they have found no indication that the advisory council or any related agencies have held discussions on this matter.
However, Bangladesh's former ambassador to China, Munshi Faiz Ahmed, stated that even if the proposed corridor is managed by the UN, full control must remain with Bangladesh so that it can shut it down if necessary. Otherwise, he warned, unexpected events may occur that Bangladesh does not desire.
Meanwhile, amidst the discussion around the humanitarian corridor, a political party in Dhaka reportedly proposed the idea of an “Independent Arakan” state for the Rohingya during talks with a delegation from the Chinese Communist Party on Saturday.
What the Government Has Said About the Corridor and the Situation in Myanmar
Although the Arakan Army has taken control of parts of Rakhine, the capital and other areas remain under Myanmar military control. Reports say the junta has also blocked supply routes for arms and logistics to the Arakan Army.
On December 11 last year, news emerged that the Arakan Army had taken control of Maungdaw city—marking the first time a rebel group controlled an entire state in Myanmar. This prompted discussions on whether the Bangladesh government should communicate with the Arakan Army.
Back in November, the UN warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Rakhine and suggested that it could lead to more Rohingya refugees entering Bangladesh. This spurred behind-the-scenes talks on a humanitarian corridor.
Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Towhid Hossain told reporters on Sunday that the government has given policy-level approval to establish a humanitarian corridor for Myanmar’s civilians under UN supervision.
He said, “We have agreed in principle because this is going to be a humanitarian passage. But we have certain conditions, which I won’t go into. If those are met, we will cooperate under the UN’s supervision.”
However, the government has not disclosed what the UN proposal entails, what conditions Bangladesh has set, or whether the corridor could facilitate the repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh.
Former ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmed said the government made a good decision in principle, as the same corridor used for aid delivery could also serve as a repatriation route for Rohingya, allowing Bangladesh to engage the international community on supporting them in Myanmar.
He added that it’s essential to determine whether powers like the US, China, or India are involved in the corridor and on what basis—so that it does not create new regional tensions for Bangladesh.
How the Discussion Emerged
After the Arakan Army took control, a virtual seminar titled “The Rohingya Crisis and Regional Security: Bangladesh’s Strategic Considerations” was held at Dhaka University on December 14, where Khalilur Rahman—Special Representative for the Rohingya Crisis—floated the idea of engaging with the Arakan Army.
In the same seminar, former Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Mahfuzur Rahman, proposed opening a humanitarian corridor and expanding trade ties with Myanmar to improve bilateral relations.
In early March, human rights group Fortify Rights, which works on Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Thailand, suggested in a press release that a humanitarian corridor should be established between Bangladesh and the Arakan Army.
Soon afterward, UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited Bangladesh and the Rohingya camps. He then formally proposed the idea of a corridor for aid delivery to Rakhine.
On April 8, during a press conference at Dhaka’s Foreign Service Academy, Khalilur Rahman said there was no viable alternative to Bangladesh for sending aid to Rakhine, as the coastal areas are still under junta control.
He also said that the UN was facilitating talks between Bangladesh and the Arakan Army, while Bangladesh was separately negotiating with both the Arakan Army and the Myanmar government. He revealed that this proposal was first brought up with the UN Secretary-General in early February in New York.
On April 9, Khalilur Rahman was also appointed as the National Security Adviser, with the title “National Security Adviser and High Representative for the Rohingya Issue.”
Subsequently, the Foreign Affairs Adviser announced the government’s policy-level approval for the humanitarian passage.
Analysts note that despite similar proposals from the West in the past, successive governments in Bangladesh had previously refrained due to geopolitical considerations.
Possible Future Implications
Some security analysts and researchers caution that humanitarian corridors in war zones have rarely remained strictly humanitarian—they often get entangled in military issues.
They argue there’s no guarantee that the people of Rakhine will benefit from such aid, especially as the junta has blocked other supply routes, potentially leaving the Arakan Army in control of whatever enters through the corridor.
There are also concerns that the Arakan Army has itself been involved in persecuting Rohingya, and over 100,000 more Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in recent months.
Myanmar researcher Altaf Parvez said major decisions like this are being made without public, political, or administrative transparency. He asked, “Where are these decisions being made, and under what conditions? Nobody knows. This lack of transparency increases the risk.”
He stressed that unless the corridor includes provisions for repatriating all Rohingya to Myanmar, such a corridor is unnecessary. "We already have a humanitarian corridor—that’s how 1.3 million Rohingya entered Bangladesh. Now if we create another, the focus must be on their return."
The region in question also involves key powers like India, China, and the US, each with strategic interests. Former Bangladesh mission chief in Sittwe, Major (Retd.) Emdadul Islam, warned that any corridor involving Bangladesh could bring military risk if one side attacks, as has happened in Myanmar’s Shan state.
Some fear that under pressure from the UN or Western powers, the corridor could ultimately become a route for arms and drug trafficking.
Another security analyst, Brigadier General (Retd.) Md. Baizid Sarwar, noted that discussions around the corridor began in March due to shortages of food, medicine, and essentials in Rakhine.
He said Bangladesh’s approval might temporarily reduce the influx of Rohingya refugees and strengthen its ties with the UN and Western countries. It might also improve Bangladesh’s image among the Arakan Army.
However, he warned, “In war-torn regions, humanitarian corridors are extremely sensitive because military dimensions inevitably come in.” He cited Kurdistan, Bosnia, and Ukraine as examples where such corridors led to security crises.
He suggested Bangladesh also explore alternatives, especially considering recent earthquakes and continued military bombings in Myanmar.
Proposal for an Independent Arakan State Raised with China
On Sunday, a delegation of the Chinese Communist Party led by South Asia Regional Director General Peng Jiubin met with Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami.
According to the party’s statement, during the meeting, Jamaat leaders proposed the formation of an “Independent Arakan State” based on the Rohingya-majority areas.
The statement quoted Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher as saying, “China can play the biggest role here because it has a strong relationship with Myanmar. They will inform their government about this new proposal and try to take steps on the matter.”
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