News Desk

On May 21, National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman firmly ruled out the possibility of allowing a corridor through Bangladesh for Myanmar, reaffirming the country’s commitment to national sovereignty and security. He made the announcement during a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

“There has been no discussion with anyone regarding giving a ‘corridor’ to Myanmar through Bangladesh, and we will not even discuss it,” Dr. Khalilur asserted, firmly rejecting recent speculations circulating in some media outlets. He clarified that the government has neither entertained nor intends to entertain any such proposal.

The adviser emphasized that the current conversation between Bangladesh and international stakeholders, including the United Nations, revolves strictly around humanitarian assistance to Myanmar’s Rakhine State, which is currently facing a severe humanitarian crisis. This aid, he said, will include only food and medicine.

“Any such assistance will be managed entirely by the UN and will come from the allocations intended for the Rohingyas currently residing in camps within Bangladesh,” Dr. Khalilur explained. He stressed that Bangladesh’s role will be limited to maintaining border security and ensuring that only legitimate aid items are transported across the border.

The security adviser also clarified that any future decisions concerning aid delivery will be taken only after consultation with all relevant stakeholders. “We can’t give anyone any free pass,” he said, underlining the government’s commitment to protecting Bangladesh’s national interests.

Addressing questions from the media, Dr. Khalilur made it clear that Bangladesh is not under pressure from any external entity to provide access or a corridor to Myanmar-not even from powerful nations such as the United States. “We are not under pressure from any country,” he firmly stated.

Dr. Rahman also provided insight into the broader context of the Rohingya crisis, noting that Bangladesh has already shouldered a disproportionate burden by hosting over 1.2 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals for years. “Our focus remains on the repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar. That is the only sustainable solution,” he said. “They have to go back. They have to stay there.”

He added that the proposal to facilitate aid delivery via Bangladesh would only be considered if the Arakan Army, a key actor in Rakhine State, demonstrates that it is not involved in or supportive of ethnic cleansing efforts.

On the question of inter-agency communication within the government, Dr. Khalilur dismissed concerns of any misalignment. “There is close coordination between the National Security Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Bangladesh Army,” he assured.

The notion of a corridor, according to Dr. Khalilur Rahman, was first floated in the media of a neighboring country, though he did not specify which one. He added that there has been no serious discourse on the Rohingya crisis over the last seven years under the previous regime. “The issue became a dead issue,” he said.

However, he noted that the interim government has successfully revived global attention on the plight of the Rohingyas and the humanitarian situation in Rakhine State.

The briefing was also attended by Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir, who reiterated the government’s commitment to transparency and protecting national sovereignty in all international engagements.