Political consensus, engagement of stakeholders a must for corridor to Arakan: Security analysts say 

Before allowing any 'humanitarian corridor' to any country through the channel of United Nation, political consensus and social engagement among the concerned parties is a must, security and foreign affairs experts said.

"The safe use of this path and success of this UN plan is depends on several issues, in this case   Bangladesh, Myanmar, Arakan Army, and the United Nations are the players, they need to come to a consensus over the corridor issue and need to cooperate with each other. If even one party refuses to participate, Bangladesh should not move forward with the plan," security analyst Air Commodore (retd) Ishfaq Ilahi Choudhury remarks.

He also said that,  "We don't have any time frame to say that the conflict in Rakhaine State would be stop soon, but we can apprehend that corridor could be a long-term arrangement. And if the interim government wants to allow it on the basis of humanitarian ground it's essential to consult those who may form future governments, I am talking with the political parties, without their backing, any agreement risks failure."

The region is also known as one of the routes for various cross-border crimes including drug and illegal arms trafficking.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Towhid Hossain at a media briefing told the reporters that the UN wants to create a humanitarian corridor through Bangladesh to send humanitarian aid to Myanmar's Rakhine state. The government has agreed in principle to this, subject to conditions."

"I will not go into details. If the conditions are met, we will definitely help," he added.

Referring to Myanmar's border along Bangladesh, he said that "here, the entire border is under the control of a non-state actor (the Arakan Army). The central government of Myanmar (junta) has no control there. So for our own sake, we cannot have any kind of contact-that is, formal contact with non-state actors. But we cannot remain isolated (from the Arakan Army) even if we want to."

Meanwhile, the United Nations in Bangladesh said that any humanitarian aid or supplies sent from Bangladesh to Myanmar must first be approved by both governments.

"The UN has a legal obligation to obtain permission from the concerned governments to deliver cross-border assistance. Without this, the UN's direct involvement is limited," a spokesperson for the UN in Bangladesh told media on Wednesday.

Stating the UN books over the sate of Rakhine issue, former ambassador Humayun Kabir said according to the United Nations, Rakhine is set to face famine, as it is apprehended that a sharp decline in food production will hit the region.

"Yes, criminal and insurgent groups operating along the border might exploit the corridor to further destabilise the area, we need to address two key issues first (i) preventing a new wave of Rohingya refugees, and set a condition to them to facilitating the repatriation of those already here after fleeing persecution by Myanmar forces." Humayun Kabir said.

International Relations analysts Prof Imtiaz Ahmed raised questions about the motives behind the corridor proposal. "We don't know who is pushing for this or what their intentions are. That needs to be made clear. We must also consider what we're getting in return. If there's no guarantee of repatriating the Rohingyas, why should we support the plan?"

"Bangladesh can transport aid to the Myanmar border, but who will take it from there to those in need? If this is not worked out properly, and if we underestimate the strength of insurgents in the region, everything could fall apart," Prof Imtiaz said.

He emphasised that all proposals and discussions should be made public to avoid confusion and foster transparency.

Meanwhile, several political parties have expressed concerns over the government's position on the proposed passage, citing potential implications for national security and safety.

Rakhine State remains gripped by a humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands displaced amid ongoing clashes between Myanmar's military and the Arakan Army.

Since November 2023, approximately 113,000 new arrivals have brought the total number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh to 1.3 million.