Bangladesh decides to provide ‘humanitarian corridor’ to Rakhine, discussion with UN on conditions

The United Nations apprehended famine in the conflict torn Rakhine State of Myanmar. Due to requests by the UN, Bangladesh has decided in principle to facilitate a “humanitarian corridor” on conditions to provide assistance to civilians of Myanmar.

Bangladesh is now holding discussion with the UN on the conditions.

A policy making level source of the government revealed this information to Prothom Alo.  

The source said Dhaka took the decision to provide a humanitarian corridor to Rakhine after the visit of the UN Secretary General António Guterres.

Now, after finalising the conditions with the UN, initiatives will be taken up to implement it.

However, security analysts have raised questions about the decision to provide a corridor for Rakhine in the context of the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar military junta and the country's armed rebel group Arakan Army.

According to them, it is important for the conflicting parties in Rakhine to have a consensus on this issue before deciding to launch such a corridor under the supervision of the UN.

Implementation of such a decision may be disrupted if there is no consensus among the parties involved in Myanmar, they pointed out.

The security analysts also said that the decision has security risks. Dialogue and discussions inside the country including in the political arena are essential before making a final decision on such an issue.

In response to journalists’ questions last Sunday regarding the humanitarian corridor, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said, “I can tell you this much that we agree with it in principle as it will be a humanitarian passage (for delivering humanitarian aid). But we have some conditions; I will not go into those details. If those conditions are met, we will definitely cooperate under the supervision of the United Nations.”

The UN at the beginning of this year informed Bangladesh that the economy of Rakhine state has collapsed and a humanitarian crisis is looming in the area.

According to the UN, failure to tackle the famine in Rakhine may lead to another mass exodus of Myanmar people, not only Rohingyas, to Bangladesh.

Security experts think although Bangladesh will provide the corridor for humanitarian aid, it may bring risks.

The Myanmar junta government has blocked all supplies to corner the Arakan Army. Dhaka has no assurance that the aid provided to civilians through Bangladesh would not get intercepted and taken over by the Arakan Army.

Moreover, drugs and illegal weapons might enter Bangladesh through the corridor. There is no recognised administration in Rakhine right now. As a result, there is a risk of getting involved with negotiations with any “unrecognised” parties.

The experts said the UN should try to get humanitarian aid corridors in other neighbouring countries except depending solely on Bangladesh.