No talks held on ‘humanitarian corridor’ with UN or any entity: Shafiqul

Amid growing speculation about a proposed “humanitarian corridor” to Myanmar’s Rakhine State through Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh’s interim government on Tuesday firmly denied holding any discussions on the matter with the United Nations or any other entity.

“We want to make it unequivocally clear that the government has not discussed the so-called ‘humanitarian corridor’ with the UN or any other party,” said Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, in a statement to UNB.

He clarified that while Bangladesh remains open to offering logistical support for humanitarian aid to Rakhine under a UN-led initiative, no formal talks or agreements have taken place.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently raised the alarm over a worsening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, citing the combined effects of conflict and natural disasters.

“Bangladesh has a strong record of helping neighbours in times of crisis, as demonstrated by our assistance to Myanmar after the recent devastating earthquake,” Alam noted.

However, he expressed concern that prolonged instability in Rakhine could lead to further displacement of people into Bangladesh—something the country is not in a position to handle.

“We believe UN-supported humanitarian assistance could help stabilise the region and facilitate the eventual repatriation of Rohingya refugees,” he said.

Acknowledging the logistical challenges, Alam said the only feasible route for delivering aid to Rakhine under current conditions is through Bangladesh. In principle, he added, the government is willing to support such operations.

“But there has been no final decision on the provision of aid,” Alam said. “We are in communication with the relevant parties, and any decision will involve consultation with appropriate stakeholders in Bangladesh.”

Responding to media reports alleging the involvement of a major global power in the proposed corridor, Alam dismissed them as “pure and unadulterated propaganda.”

“We have witnessed a sustained campaign of disinformation targeting Bangladesh in recent months. This is just another example of that trend,” he said.