The interim government's decision to grant Myanmar a humanitarian aid corridor has sparked mixed reactions among local civil society members and Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar.
Many locals are questioning the sudden approval of such a corridor without resolving the long-standing Rohingya crisis.
However, Rohingya leaders have urged the interim government to request the United Nations (UN) to establish a “safe zone” in Rakhine alongside the corridor.
With most of Rakhine state now under the control of the Arakan Army amid ongoing conflict with the Myanmar junta, fears are growing that the region could face famine in the first half of this year.
In response, the UN requested that Bangladesh allow humanitarian aid to reach Rakhine via a corridor. The government has agreed to the request.
Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka, president of the Cox’s Bazar Civil Society, said: “Both the Myanmar junta and the Arakan Army are anti-Rohingya. Their persecution forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas to flee to Bangladesh.”
He added: “If they help facilitate repatriation, we have no objection to the corridor. However, concerns about border smuggling and threats to national sovereignty must be considered. If there is any hidden conspiracy behind the corridor, Cox’s Bazar’s Civil Society will not support or accept it.”
Speaking on the same issue, ANM Helal Uddin, president of the Cox’s Bazar Citizens' Forum, said: “We welcome a limited corridor for humanitarian assistance to support Rohingya repatriation. But there are indications of a broader conspiracy, and the corridor appears mysterious.”
He added: “We do not support it if it’s aimed solely at aiding the Arakan Army or serving other hidden purposes. There is already ambiguity surrounding our only coral island, Saint Martin’s. The government must clarify its stance.”
Mohammad Zubair, president of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH), said top Rohingya leaders in Cox’s Bazar believe that a UN-monitored safe zone must be established alongside the humanitarian corridor in Rakhine.
He explained that such a safe zone would make repatriation feasible, as both the Myanmar junta and the Arakan Army are involved in persecuting Rohingyas.
He further said that without a place for them to safely return to, humanitarian aid through the corridor will be ineffective. If a secure and sustainable UN-backed safe zone is created in Rakhine, he believes Rohingyas would return to Myanmar promptly.
Nur Mohammad, another ARSPH member, echoed this sentiment, saying that establishing a safe zone is more urgent than the corridor itself.
He stressed that a UN-monitored safe zone could be a game changer for repatriation and should be implemented without delay.
Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, is reportedly maintaining communications with key international powers, including China, Russia, and Myanmar.
In this context, the government has also appointed a security adviser for Rohingya repatriation. The Myanmar junta has already agreed to take back 180,000 Rohingyas.
Therefore, local opinion leaders are urging the government to expedite repatriation while keeping both the junta and the Arakan Army's roles in mind.
