Bangladesh to begin trilateral talks with China, Myanmar over Rohingya crisis

What happened

The Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reports that Bangladesh will initiate trilateral talks with China and Myanmar aimed at pursuing a political resolution to the Rohingya crisis, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir announced at a conference in Dhaka. Kobir stated that only a political solution can end the prolonged displacement of over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh camps.

Kobir emphasized that Bangladesh cannot manage the crisis alone, highlighting the severe economic, environmental, infrastructure, and national security strains caused by sheltering the displaced Rohingya population since 2017. He recalled past repatriations in 1978 and 1992 to underscore the priority of a sustainable and timely return to Myanmar.

UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh Ivo Freijsen stressed that the root causes lie within Myanmar, underscoring that voluntary repatriation must be safe, dignified, and contingent upon restored citizenship and fundamental rights in Rakhine State. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam identified three critical obstacles to progress: continued military instability in Rakhine, the lack of dialogue between Myanmar’s official regime and the Arakan Army (AA) controlling much of the territory, and ongoing influxes of new refugees into Bangladesh.

Known from the source

• Bangladesh will initiate trilateral talks with China and Myanmar to seek a political solution to the Rohingya crisis.
• Over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees currently live in camps in Bangladesh.
• Sheltering Rohingya refugees since 2017 has placed severe strains on Bangladesh’s economy, environment, infrastructure, and security.
• Past Rohingya repatriations occurred in 1978 and 1992.
• UNHCR states safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation depends on restored rights in Rakhine State.

What remains unclear

Kobir also clarified diplomatic scheduling around Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visits, noting the Prime Minister will not attend the upcoming BRICS Summit in India, which had invited Bangladesh only as BIMSTEC Chair. Instead, a standalone bilateral summit with India will be arranged. The government has also established a National Strategy Formulation Committee on Rohingya Affairs to coordinate policy.

What remains unclear: Official confirmation and schedules for the proposed trilateral talks involving China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. More detailed verification of the stated obstacles, including current military conditions and relations between Myanmar’s regime and the Arakan Army. Validation of government plans and timelines for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s diplomatic engagements. Confirmation of the finalization and intended use of the comprehensive policy brief mentioned.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: DVB English. Open the source.