Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi on Tuesday called for coordinated action from Bangladesh and India regarding the Rohingya crisis.
"We need to coordinate our actions (on the Rohingya issue) together ... we need to realize that it is a security threat ... it is the most vulnerable frontier for both Bangladesh and India," he said at the inauguration of a two-day "Bangladesh-India Security Dialogue" at a Gulshan hotel.
"Unless we work together and unless we resolve this, it will create a prolonged problem," he added.
The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) of New Delhi are jointly organising the dialogue.
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Distinguished Fellow of ORF Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty also spoke at the event, with BEI President Farooq Sobhan in the chair.
Dr Rizvi said Bangladesh expects “its friends” to play an important role in dealing with the Rohingya issue.
"India to date has been the largest supplier of relief materials for Rohingya people, and an Indian plane was the first to land in Chittagong to provide relief materials for them" he said while thanking the neighbouring country for its efforts.
The prime minister's adviser also said talks were held in the diplomatic channel between Bangladesh and India over the issue and "our foreign minister reiterated unflinching commitment."
"What is happening in the diplomatic channel, what is happening behind the scenes, those are important ... I really believe the public in Bangladesh needs to see more visible public support from India (on the Rohingya issue)," Dr Rizvi said.
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“In Myanmar, it is pure genocide ... genocide described by the UN Secretary General, the Pope and numerous heads of the government," he added.
Dr Rizvi further said: "We have all but our geopolitical considerations, but this needs a very special emphasis and also this has strong ramifications for the security of our region - Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. If we do not work jointly or if we do not work strongly on it, I fear, we may undo some of the good work that has been done over the years."
Regarding Bangladesh's relationship to other countries, he said: "We need to understand that every country, whether it is China or India or any other country, has multiple interests and multiple concerns and we should not reduce the relationship between the two countries on a single line."
On the Teesta water sharing agreement, the prime minister's adviser said the two's country's failure to sign the Teesta water agreement has obviously been a major setback.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
