'Rohingya crisis now a security concern for Bangladesh'

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Sunday said the Rohingya crisis has become a security concern for Bangladesh, stressing the need to keep the issue high on the international agenda.

"We need to keep the Rohingya issue relevant on the international stage, and keeping it relevant remains a major challenge," she said while speaking as the chief guest at a dialogue.

Neeti Gobeshona Kendro organised the national policy dialogue titled "A Sustainable Approach to the Resolution of the Rohingya Crisis: Outline of a National Strategy and External Contribution" at the CIRDAP Auditorium, UNB reports.

The State Minister said Bangladesh must press the international community to engage meaningfully with Myanmar to ensure that the necessary conditions are created inside the country for the safe and dignified return of the Rohingyas.

She also underscored the importance of building a national political consensus on addressing the crisis. "We have always been vocal about the Rohingya issue," Shama Obaed said emphasising that repatriation must take place in a safe and dignified manner. "We need to ensure minimum dignity for them," she said.

Bangladesh is currently hosting more than 1.3 million Rohingyas, with the number continuing to grow, putting increasing pressure on host communities and the country's economy as a whole.

Shama Obaed said when she referred to Bangladesh in the context of the Rohingya issue, she meant all political forces, civil society, and the entire nation.

She emphasised that the Rohingya crisis is a political problem and therefore required national political consensus.

The Sate Minister mentioned that a National Strategy Formulation Committee on the Rohingya issue had already been established.

Under the committee, Bangladesh was holding discussions with the government of Myanmar and establishing communication with the Arakan Army. She emphasised the need to continue bilateral engagement.

Former Ambassador Mohammad Sufiur Rahman said the Rohingya crisis had been imposed on Bangladesh.

He said while various stakeholders continued to offer recommendations and suggestions to Bangladesh for resolving the crisis, its actual solution lay in Rakhine.

The former envoy highlighted the challenges and risks associated with establishing a unified voice among the Rohingya and developing camp-based leadership.

He expressed hope that the Government of Bangladesh would prioritise building a national consensus, as successful negotiations and agreements would not be possible without it.

He emphasised that without internal cohesion and unity within the country, it would be difficult to exert effective pressure at the international level.
In addition, he stressed the need to initiate pragmatic and strategic dialogue with the Arakan Army and establish a relationship based on mutual interdependence.

Lieutenant General (Retd.) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, Chairman of the Osmani Centre for Peace and Security Studies (OCPASS), stated that understanding a problem was essential before attempting to resolve it.

He observed that military strength or hard power was highly respected in Myanmar. As the Rohingya did not possess the hard power that other actors had, they were unable to establish their position at the negotiating table.

He emphasised the need to convey a clear and firm message to the Arakan Army regarding the potential consequences of its actions.

Hummam Quader Chowdhury, Member of Parliament from Chattogram-7 (Rangunia), representing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), stated that discussions on the problems surrounding the Rohingya crisis were frequent, but comparatively little attention was given to discussing solutions.

He observed that Bangladesh began considering what needed to be done about the Rohingya issue only after USAID funding was discontinued. Before that, the country had primarily been engaged in firefighting rather than pursuing a long-term approach.

He said although many hopeful statements were being made, the actual situation was far from hopeful. He emphasised the need to adopt a more realistic approach.

Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain said Bangladesh had two important countries to consider in addressing the Rohingya issue: India and China.

He observed that India had no interest in Rohingya repatriation and suggested that Bangladesh should instead consider China's potential role.
He also emphasised the need to establish relations and communication with the Arakan Army.

The dialogue aimed to facilitate constructive engagement among policymakers, political leaders, diplomats, researchers, civil society representatives, human rights advocates, journalists and representatives of the Rohingya community on developing a sustainable and comprehensive approach to resolving the protracted crisis.

Particular emphasis was placed on formulating a national strategic framework, building political consensus, strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring the roles of international and external stakeholders.

The discussion highlighted the importance of sustained policy dialogue, diplomatic engagement, political consensus and meaningful participation of the Rohingya community in finding a durable and dignified solution to one of the most protracted humanitarian and geopolitical challenges facing Bangladesh and the wider region.