As Bangladesh Army Chief, BNP Resist 'Rohingya Corridor', Yunus Silent But Flags Fund Cuts

News18

07-06-2025

Last Updated:
Sources in Bangladesh suggest the Rakhine Corridor idea has not been completely abandoned, and discussions concerning the Rohingya crisis continue
Amid strong opposition from political parties, including the BNP, and the military top brass, Bangladesh's interim government, led by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, has fallen silent on the proposed Rakhine Corridor talks. However, sources in Bangladesh suggest the idea has not been completely abandoned, and discussions concerning the Rohingya crisis continue.
The army chief, during a private meeting with senior commanders, reportedly expressed serious reservations about the project's strategic and security implications. Political parties, including senior figures of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, also rejected the idea, citing national security concerns.
'Silent treatment'?
However, the Yunus administration appears to be quietly pursuing the plan, seeking international support through global platforms, emphasising humanitarian grounds. A source familiar with the developments stated that a humanitarian passage, not a corridor, is now the subject of consensus among multiple stakeholders, including Myanmar, Bangladesh, and other involved parties.
The proposed passage, intended to facilitate aid delivery between Rohingya settlements and camps in Cox's Bazar and designated zones along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, has faced sharp domestic criticism. Security analysts and several political parties, including senior BNP leaders, have warned that such a passage could create a semi-autonomous zone and further destabilise the region.
A senior BNP leader, speaking to News18 from Dhaka, said, 'We cannot allow the Rakhine Corridor cutting across Bangladesh. We want a stable and peaceful country. We have presented our views to the interim government in this regard, and we will oppose any such decision that may put Bangladesh's security and stability at stake."
Addressing the media in Dhaka last week, national security adviser Khalilur Rahman said, 'The UN only asked if Bangladesh could assist in sending humanitarian aid near the border, to be delivered to the Rakhine state by UN partners. We said we can consider," as reported by The Daily Star, a widely circulated Bangladeshi newspaper.
A meeting between chief adviser Yunus and UN resident coordinator Gwyn Lewis this week has fuelled further speculation. According to an official statement from the Bangladesh government, the discussion focused significantly on the Rohingya crisis and future cooperation frameworks, with Yunus appealing for international cooperation and funds.
'In their meeting, the resident coordinator and the chief adviser addressed the pressing issues surrounding the Rohingya crisis and the ongoing financing challenges," the statement said. They expressed serious concern about significant funding reductions, which are severely impacting essential programmes within the camps.
Yunus stated the 'urgent need for sustained solidarity and increased support from the international community to mitigate the funding cuts and reinforce Bangladesh's efforts to aid the vulnerable Rohingya population".
While the Yunus administration has avoided public discussion of the proposed corridor following strong opposition, diplomatic sources suggest the concept of a passage has not been dismissed. For now, the Rakhine corridor remains an undeclared and inactive element of Bangladesh's evolving foreign and domestic policy.
First Published:
June 07, 2025, 07:30 IST