Bangladesh has made it clear to the United States that lasting peace in Myanmar is impossible unless the longstanding Rohingya crisis is resolved, despite any potential end to ongoing conflict in the country.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain emphasized the message conveyed during his meeting with a visiting U.S. delegation a day earlier.

"I strongly stated that if the Rohingya issue is not addressed, there will be no peace in Myanmar, even after the war ends," Hossain said during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Bangladesh is currently sheltering more than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char Island. The Rohingyas, a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar's Rakhine State, fled to Bangladesh following brutal military crackdowns in 2017.

Adviser Hossain also described a shift in the regional landscape, noting that Bangladesh now finds itself dealing with "new neighbours" — non-state actors — due to the evolving situation in Myanmar.

"This presents a difficult situation for us. We can’t negotiate with them directly, and at the same time, we can’t ignore them," he said.

Despite the challenges, Hossain expressed hope for a future resolution. “At some point, the problem may begin to stabilize. When that happens, it will be up to our friends and influential countries to exert pressure on Myanmar,” he added, calling for the Rohingyas to be treated with humanity and for their rights to be restored in their homeland.

The visiting U.S. delegation included Nicole Ann Chulick, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, and Andrew R. Herrup, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. They met separately with Adviser Hossain, National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin to discuss issues of mutual interest.

According to the foreign secretary, Bangladesh urged the United States to increase both political and humanitarian support to help resolve the crisis.

"We had an extensive discussion on the Rohingya issue," Jashim Uddin told reporters.

The meetings concluded with both countries reaffirming their commitment to strengthening the Bangladesh-U.S. partnership and taking it to “new heights” in the future.

BOB Post