Bangladesh-Myanmar relations
In a welcome move Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wrote a letter to State Counsellor of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, expressing her willingness to work with Bangladeshs southern neighbour with honest and sincere engagement. According to a report of The Independent yesterday, the Nobel Laureate leader of Myanmar warmly reciprocated Sheikh Hasinas attitude of bonhomie. Suu Kyi said that her government is firm to find solutions to the problems in the Rakhine State. True, the problem of the Rohingyas deserves very sincere attention from the present democratic government in Myanmar.
A states inner problems often affect its neighbouring country. Myanmars Rohingya crisis is one such problem. In the face of persecution in the hands of xenophobic elements in the past, Rohingyas fled Myanmar and took shelter in Bangladesh in droves. There are still many Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and for a country with limited resources they are indeed a burden for Bangladesh. But like the predecessor military government, Suu Kyis democratically elected government also has not even recognized the term Rohingyas to describe these hapless people. The problem centring the community is likely to linger for long.
If the government in Myanmar does not accept them as its genuine citizens, any future persecution of the community might again push them to take shelter in Bangladesh creating problem for it despite the fact Rohingyas are citizens of Myanmar and have been so for centuries. The problem is Myanmars alone. For a long time United Nations has been urging the government in Myanmar to recognize the Rohingyas as a separate ethnic community like the other officially recognised communities of the country. In short, an inclusive society in Myanmar is the clear answer to this problem.
And Bangladesh government must always diplomatically remain engaged with Myanmar so that it does not have to suffer any more because of the ethnic conflict in Myanmar and repatriation of the remaining Rohingyas in Bangladesh takes place soon. Besides Rohingyas, smuggling of narcotics produced in the factories inside Myanmar along the border as well as illegal intrusion of Myanmars fishermen into Bangladeshs maritime zone for fishing are considerable problems for Bangladesh. In these cases also Bangladesh needs to pursue Yangon in right earnest.
As neighbouring countries, Bangladesh and Myanmar can mutually be benefited if the bilateral relations between the two nations are based on goodwill and support for each other. Trade is one area where much has still needs to be done. However, it is expected that in the days to come, the relations between Myanmar and Bangladesh would be warmer and mutually cooperative.
