Dear sir,
The ongoing fight in Myanmar between the Myanmar Army and the rebel Arakan Army has already posed security concerns for Bangladesh as bullets and mortar shells are landing near the Bangladeshi borders. In the meantime, one Bangladeshi citizen has been killed and some others have been seriously injured due to firing incidents in Arakan.
But the most significant concern is that more than 250 people, including Myanmar Army, BGP, and members of the Arakan Army, have taken shelter in Bangladesh, fleeing from the war zone in Arakan, and there are other military soldiers as well as civilians waiting to migrate.
Historically, the people of Myanmar, particularly the Rohingya people, have had a tendency to migrate to Bangladesh during any conflicts.
Bangladesh has shown a humanitarian response by taking these non-civilian victims and providing them shelter. The concerning fact is that the ongoing severe conflict in Myanmar is leading to a new flow of migration imposed on Bangladesh.
Therefore, in this regard, the new flow of migration should be addressed tactically and handled diplomatically. The foreign ministry of Bangladesh must play a vital role in communicating with the Myanmar government about these critical issues, as well as holding talks with regional powers like China and India. Without an effective role and intention of these two regional powers, it is not possible to resolve the challenges that Bangladesh faces today.
Mohammad Emran, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka
