A seminar titled ‘Repatriation of Rohingyas in Bangladesh: Strategic Implications on Regional Security and Ways Ahead’ was held under the joint management of Armed Forces Division (AFD) and Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) on Sunday (04 May 2025) at ‘Swadhinata Auditorium’ BUP campus.
The seminar was attended by Honorable Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md. Touhid Hossain as the chief guest, National Security Advisor and High Representative on Rohingya Issues Dr. Khalilur Rahman as the special guest and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hasan, BSP, NDC, HDMC, PSC, PhD.
Diplomats, ambassadors and military attaches of various countries, officers of the armed forces, experts on Rohingya issues, officials of various ministries/agencies, media persons and students of BUP also participated in the seminar. The main objective of this seminar was to identify the strategic impact of Rohingya repatriation on regional security and its challenges based on the discussions of experts and the opinions of the participants, and to determine the future actions and recommendations in the current context.
At the beginning of the seminar, BUP Vice-Chancellor Major General Md. Mahbub-ul Alam, BSP, ndc, AFWC, psc, MPhil, PhD, delivered the welcome speech. As a special guest, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, in his speech, highlighted the recent impact of the Arakan Army in Rakhine State of Myanmar and the complexity of the absence of Myanmar government authorities in the border areas and emphasized the need for coordinated cooperation of the international community and regional partners, including bilateral initiatives, for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya problem.
The Honorable Foreign Affairs Advisor and National Security Advisor and the High Representative on the Rohingya issue said in their speeches that the current government is working towards a sustainable solution for the repatriation of the Rohingya. The government is hopeful of resolving this issue by adopting all possible means and multidimensional diplomatic approaches for the repatriation of the Rohingya. It is important for the international community to ensure that the focus of attention does not shift from the Rohingya crisis to other global conflicts. Emphasis was placed on the need for a roadmap for the return of the Rohingya. Since the main partners in Myanmar are the military junta, the Arakan Army and the National Unity Government (NUG), all three parties must be involved in any permanent solution.
It is worth noting that the keynote address at the seminar on the Rohingya issue was presented by Dr. Sahab Enam Khan, Professor of the Department of International Relations, Jahangirnagar University. In addition, Abu Salah Md. Yusuf, Research Director, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies and Assistant Professor Md. Ataur Rahman Talukder, Department of International Relations, BUP presented papers as panelists. Later, M. Humayun Kabir, former Ambassador and President of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, moderated the open discussion and summary session of the seminar where participants shared their views and recommendations regarding Rohingya repatriation.
While the seminar discussion mentioned Rohingya repatriation as the ultimate goal, several obstacles emerged, including the current instability in the Rakhine region, the uncertain position of the Arakan Army on Rohingya repatriation, and the fragmentation of geopolitics. The speakers called on Bangladesh to adopt a multi-pronged strategy combining bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, security, and international cooperation. At the same time, the importance of stabilizing Rakhine for repatriation, ensuring global commitment, and building trust among all parties was emphasized, considering the Rohingya repatriation in the broader context of regional security. The seminar is expected to play a helpful role in raising awareness in the military and civilian arenas about the Rohingya crisis and taking steps to take action in the future.
