Dhaka wants to see democracy in Myanmar

The Rohingya people who have taken shelter in Bangladesh want a conducive environment in Rakhine state in Myanmar so that they could return to their homeland with safety and dignity. That is why Bangladesh wants to see a sustainable peace, stability and democracy in the neighbouring country.

Dhaka also has called for a roadmap to ensure repatriation of Rohingya people in Rakhine.

Bangladesh foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain highlighted the position of Bangladesh on the future of Myanmar and Rohingya repatriation at an informal meeting in Bangkok of Thailand on Thursday.

Diplomatic sources from Bangkok and Dhaka informed Prothom Alo that alongside Bangladesh, India also put emphasis on democratic transition of Myanmar in the meeting that was organised at the initiative of Thailand foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa.

Both Bangladesh and India also talked about extending support to the South Asian neighbouring country in this regard, if necessary.

Thailand also discussed urging all sides of Myanmar to return to democracy through holding elections.

Myanmar deputy prime minister and foreign minister Than Swe mentioned about organising elections by 2025 by the military government led by senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He, however, did not say anything about the roadmap.

Than Swe stated in the meeting that the incumbent Myanmar government is hopeful of holding an election next year. But he expressed doubts whether the election could be organised with everyone’s participation or not.

Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Laos joined the discussion, organised by Thailand, on the ensuing law and order situation in Myanmar and the country’s future.

Before joining the six-nation discussion, foreign adviser Touhid Hossain attended a bilateral meeting with Myanmar foreign minister Than Swe.

A source from Bangkok informed Prothom Alo that the one-hour-long meeting discussed various bilateral issues, including Rohingya repatriation, where both sides agreed to take the relationship forward.

They also agreed to work together in the light of the memorandum of understanding the two countries signed in November 2017 to resolve the Rohingya crisis. During the discussion, the Myanmar foreign minister reiterated his country’s goodwill to resolve the crisis surrounding Rohingya repatriation.

At that time, Touhid Hossain told him that the precondition for repatriation of Rohingya is to create a conducive environment in the Rakhine state. Myanmar has to create such an environment in the state so that the Rohingya people return to their homeland voluntarily. But currently the environment there is not conducive as the Arakan Army has taken control there. That is why the first task of the Myanmar government is to make Rakhine safe.

Speaking at the six-country meeting, Touhid Hossain said that another 60,000 Rohingya people crossed the border into Bangladesh in the last few months. That means, the Rohingya situation is worrying.

He also expressed grave concerns about the ensuing armed violence along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border and various types of crimes regarding arms and drugs. He reiterated the call for a roadmap to Rohingya repatriation to ensure stability in the Rakhine state.

Touhid requested the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other major players of the region to play more active roles for peace, security and democracy in Myanmar. He also extended help from the Bangladesh side for economic reconstitution of Rakhine state and in other necessary spheres.

Touhid Hossain once again put emphasis on the three-point proposals chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus made in his address to the UN General Assembly in September this year.

He also stressed on sharing intelligence information among the law enforcement agencies and border guards to curb transborder crimes.

In the meeting, Myanmar foreign minister Than Swe mentioned about his government’s attempt to create a conducive environment for elections in the country in 2025.

Alleging that transborder criminals have been stoking armed violence in his country, Swe mentioned Myanmar government’s initiatives to bring such crimes under control.

He also spoke about his government’s initiatives to repatriate the Rohingya people.

China’s deputy minister for foreign affairs and India’s foreign secretary reasserted their support to the peace initiatives taken by Myanmar for regional security and development.

Both the countries informed the meeting about their initiatives for dialogues among various stakeholders of Myanmar and said they have been helping find a common ground for an inclusive and stable system in the country.

Thailand's foreign minister emphasised forming an informal forum like this discussion.