Bangladesh Foreign Affairs State Minister Says Bangladesh Should Maintain Good Relations with Arakan Army (AA)

News ၊ November 11, 2026

Photo - New Age

The Bangladesh government has already established contact with the Arakan Army (AA) to address the Muslim refugee crisis, Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obayd Islam stated during a national policy discussion, according to a report by Bangladesh-based news outlet NEWAGE.

She announced that the government has formed a committee to draft a national strategy regarding the Muslim refugee issue.

Speaking at the discussion held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka, Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obayd Islam stated that under this committee, the Bangladeshi government is not only engaging in discussions with the Myanmar military junta but has also established contacts and is conducting talks with the Arakan Army (AA).

She remarked that believing the repatriation of Muslim refugees could always be successfully achieved through standard diplomatic channels alone would be naive.

She emphasized that all political parties in Bangladesh should cooperate to build a common consensus on the Bengali issue and pressure the international community.

Similarly, she noted that Myanmar appears to have an existing consensus against the return of Muslim refugees.

Highlighting that Bangladesh shares a border with Arakan State, she stated that the country needs to view the issue not merely as a humanitarian crisis, but also from a strategic perspective.

"We have to play a strategic game. Ultimately, Rakhine State will become a confederated state or something similar. We must maintain good relations and negotiate with the Arakan Army (AA), whether directly or through third parties," she said.

Meanwhile, retired Major General M Sakhawat Hossain, a former interim adviser to the Bangladesh government, remarked that India would not provide any assistance to Bangladesh in resolving the refugee crisis.

However, Sakhawat Hossain urged the Bangladesh government to consider a proposed economic corridor with China, stating that it could help facilitate refugee repatriation.

Source@newage