No Talks on ‘Corridor’ with Myanmar: Khalilur Rahman

Dr Khalilur Rahman addresses a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, reaffirming that Bangladesh has held no discussions on providing a corridor to Myanmar.

Chief Adviser’s High Representative and National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday firmly stated that the government has not held any discussions with any party regarding the provision of a 'corridor' to Myanmar through Bangladesh. He emphasised that such a topic is not on the table and will not be considered in future discussions.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, Dr Rahman clarified that Bangladesh's engagement with the United Nations has solely focused on facilitating humanitarian aid—specifically food and medicine—to Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where a crisis has left many in urgent need.

"Let me be clear: there have been no talks about a corridor, and we will not engage in any such discussions," Dr Rahman said. "What we are discussing with the UN is the delivery of humanitarian aid due to the dire situation in Rakhine."

He underscored that any future decisions on cross-border aid or related matters would be made in consultation with all stakeholders. "We are not under pressure from any country—not even the United States," he said. “We cannot offer anyone a free pass. Bangladesh’s national interest comes first.”

Referring to the ongoing burden of the Rohingya crisis, Dr Rahman noted that Bangladesh is already hosting over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees and is unable to accommodate any more.

“Our priority remains the sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar,” he said. “They must return and be able to stay in their homeland. That’s our focus.”

He dismissed concerns about coordination within the government, stating that he works in close cooperation with both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Army.

Addressing the origins of the 'corridor' debate, Dr Rahman said it first surfaced in a neighbouring country, without naming it. He added that while there had been no substantial efforts to address the Rohingya crisis in recent years, the current interim government has successfully brought global attention back to the issue.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir were also present at the briefing.

Meanwhile, speaking on cross-border aid, Ambassador Michael Miller, Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, recently emphasised the importance of ensuring safety and government agreement on both sides of the border before any such initiative can succeed.

“Cross-border assistance only works when individuals are safe on both sides and when governments are aligned,” Miller said. “We’ve done this in other parts of the world, and it can be effective—but only under the right conditions.”

On the distinction between a 'corridor' and a 'passage', Ambassador Miller said he could not offer detailed insights, but expressed the EU's willingness to work flexibly to meet humanitarian needs.

“If the refugees remain in Bangladesh, we will assist them here. If conditions improve and they return across the border, we will look at how best to support them there too—perhaps through cross-border assistance,” he said.

Miller also acknowledged Bangladesh's significant role in hosting such a large number of refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar, describing the effort as “enormous” and deserving of international recognition and support.