Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser to Join Regional Emergency Meeting on Myanmar in Bangkok

Organized by the Thai government, the meeting will include foreign ministers and senior officials from Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, China, Laos, and Cambodia.

Staff Reporter

Dec 19, 2024, 10:37 AM2 min read

Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser to Join Regional Emergency Meeting on Myanmar in Bangkok

Md Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser/Sourced Image

Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain is set to attend an emergency meeting in Bangkok on Thursday (November 19), alongside regional counterparts, to address the escalating situation in Myanmar.

Organized by the Thai government, the meeting will include foreign ministers and senior officials from Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, China, Laos, and Cambodia. Discussions will focus on border security, transnational crime, and the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.

"This meeting will differ from formal negotiations, focusing on three main topics: borders, crime, and the evolving situation in Myanmar," Touhid stated prior to departing from Dhaka. He emphasized Bangladesh’s priority of ensuring the safety and rights of the 1.3 million Rohingya refugees currently sheltered in the country, with the ultimate goal of their safe and dignified repatriation.

"We understand this issue cannot be resolved overnight, but practical solutions must be pursued," he added.

The Thai Foreign Minister, Maris Sangiampongsa, will chair two regional meetings on Myanmar this week. Reports indicate that at least one session may include representatives from Myanmar’s junta, though their participation remains unconfirmed.

Since Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, the country has been engulfed in escalating conflict. The military junta faces strong resistance from rebel groups, particularly in border regions. Large areas of Rakhine State are now controlled by the Arakan Army, leaving only the capital, Sittwe, under junta control.
Bangladesh has been particularly affected by the unrest. Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, during a visit to Egypt, highlighted the worsening situation in Myanmar. In discussions with a Malaysian minister, Yunus revealed that intensified violence in Rakhine State has forced over 80,000 Rohingya to flee into Bangladesh in recent months.

The ongoing conflict in Myanmar remains a pressing concern for the region, with neighboring countries seeking collaborative measures to address its humanitarian and security impacts.

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