No peace in Myanmar without Rohingya resolution: Foreign Affairs Adviser

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said that lasting peace in Myanmar is impossible without resolving the longstanding Rohingya crisis.

He stated that Bangladesh has clearly communicated this stance to the United States during recent diplomatic discussions.

Speaking to reporters on Friday (April 18) following a programme marking ‘Foreign Service Day’ at the Foreign Service Academy, the adviser shared insights from his meeting with US officials held the previous day. He underscored that the unresolved Rohingya issue remains central to regional stability.

"Bangladesh has strongly conveyed to the US that peace will not return to Myanmar unless the Rohingya problem is addressed," Touhid Hossain said.

He identified the Arakan Army as a key obstacle to Rohingya repatriation. “They are a major problem in the repatriation process. Bangladesh is either unable to engage directly with them or unable to avoid them,” he added.

Touching on the plight of Bangladeshi migrant workers, the adviser said that 80 percent of the problems they face originate in the country due to poor planning and lack of proper training. These challenges then become the responsibility of embassies to manage.

“If we send our workers abroad with adequate training and education, many of these issues can be prevented. This will also reduce the pressure on our foreign missions,” he noted. Despite limitations faced by embassies, Towhid emphasized the importance of prioritising service to expatriates.

Reflecting on Bangladesh’s economic progress, he stated that the country’s export volume has grown from $1 billion in the 1980s to $60 billion today—an achievement in which diplomatic efforts have played a supportive role.

The adviser also paid tribute to the role of the country’s foreign service officers during the Liberation War. He recalled that on April 18, 1971, the Deputy High Commission of the Mujibnagar Government was established in Kolkata with 65 officers and employees to generate global support for Bangladesh’s independence.