“Bangladesh cannot indefinitely shoulder the burden of nearly a million refugees. The corridor may be controversial, but it could soon become a necessity.”

Following an April 2025 proposal by the United Nations for a humanitarian corridor into Myanmar’s RAKHINE STATE Bangladesh initially expressed conditional agreement but soon reconsidered the plan due to significant geopolitical and security risks. Recent news reports from mid-to-late 2025 detail the Bangladeshi interim government’s inconsistent messaging, citing sovereignty concerns and military opposition. There is no information from recent months connecting The CSR Journal to these specific reports, though the journal has published articles on the broader Rohingya crisis and sustainable development. 

Bangladesh reconsiders the humanitarian corridor

Since the UN proposal in early 2025, Bangladesh has reversed its position several times amid intense internal and external pressure. 

• Initial agreement and conditions: In April 2025, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Md. Towhid Hossain, announced that the transitional government had agreed in principle to the corridor, provided certain conditions were met. The plan was conceived to get aid to Rakhine, where the UN feared a famine.
• Government flip-flop: Just a month later, however, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman ruled out any possibility of allowing a “humanitarian corridor” through Bangladeshi territory. He claimed talks with the UN only concerned border aid delivery, not a corridor. This mixed messaging revealed deep divisions within the interim government.
• Growing instability and border control: Reports from late 2024 and 2025 noted that the Arakan Army (AA) had seized control of most of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. This further complicates the security situation and Bangladesh’s ability to engage with a non-state actor.
• Potential risks and opposition: Concerns cited by opponents of the corridor included:
  • Erosion of national sovereignty.
  • Security threats, including weapons and drug trafficking.
  • Geopolitical entanglement between competing U.S. and Chinese interests.
  • Potential for escalating the conflict rather than alleviating it. 

The CSR Journal and the Rohingya crisis

The CSR Journal focuses on issues related to corporate social responsibility, and reports from 2022 and 2025 link it to the Rohingya refugee situation through articles on sustainable development and business analytics.

• September 2025 report: The International Journal of Scientific and Management Research (also referred to in CSR-related searches) published an article titled “Transforming Displacement into Development Business Analytics for Rohingya Microenterprise Sustainability in Bangladesh”.

Renewed Discussions on a Humanitarian Corridor Amid Rising Rohingya Armed Clashes

Due to escalating armed attacks by Rohingya militant groups in Rakhine State, Myanmar, Bangladesh’s security and diplomatic circles are reportedly reconsidering the revival of a controversial “Humanitarian Corridor” to deliver aid across the Myanmar border. This initiative, previously suspended due to political pressures, resurfaced during policy dialogues held in Dhaka on Wednesday, October 25, 2025, according to intelligence sources.

High-Level Talks Revive Corridor Proposal

The issue emerged during a high-level conference jointly organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD). Retired senior security officials, diplomats, and military representatives discussed the feasibility of establishing a controlled corridor to facilitate the systematic and safe repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar’s Buthidaung and Maungdaw districts.

Speakers from Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University urged the reintegration of the “Humanitarian Corridor” into Bangladesh’s national security framework. This time, the corridor is envisioned not only for humanitarian aid but also as a mechanism for “systematic and safe repatriation” of Rohingya refugees.

Diplomatic Engagements Parallel the Conference

Coinciding with the conference, Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser, Khairul Rahman, held a three-hour meeting with a British diplomat based in Yangon. According to government sources, British officials expressed strong support for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. However, Dhaka remains concerned that such operations could heighten security challenges along Bangladesh’s southeastern border.

Dhaka weighs revival of ‘Humanitarian Corridor’ for Rohingya amid rising violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine

Bangladesh’s security and diplomatic circles are once again considering reviving the controversial “humanitarian corridor” to send aid across the Myanmar border, as armed Rohingya groups intensify attacks in Rakhine State. The move, previously shelved amid political backlash, has resurfaced in policy discussions held in Dhaka on Thursday, according to intelligence sources.

The issue came to the fore during a high-level conference jointly organised by the Bangladesh Institute for International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD). Senior retired security officials, diplomats, and Army representatives attended the session, which focused on reassessing the feasibility of establishing a controlled corridor to facilitate the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar’s Buthidaung and Maungdaw provinces.

Speakers, including academics from Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University, called for placing the “humanitarian corridor” back on Bangladesh’s security agenda — this time not just for humanitarian assistance, but as a mechanism for “orderly and safe repatriation” of Rohingya refugees.

A retired Bangladesh Army major general, who requested anonymity, said the meeting “dwelt on regional geopolitics” and urged Bangladesh to “play a more proactive role in South and Southeast Asian affairs.”

UK officials hold closed-door talks in Dhaka

The timing of the conference coincided with a significant diplomatic engagement — a three-hour meeting between Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Khalilur Rahman and a senior UK diplomat based in Yangon. According to government sources, British officials “strongly back the Rohingya repatriation,” though Dhaka fears the process could heighten security challenges along its southeastern frontier.

Tensions have escalated in recent weeks along the border, with frequent reports of attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO).

On Thursday, the Arakan Army (AA) issued a statement accusing ARSA of ambushing a civilian vehicle near Myo Yu village in Maungdaw Township. The attack left two people dead. “The passenger vehicle was ambushed by the Islamic extremist militant terrorist group ARSA,” the AA said, adding that its forces were “actively searching for the ARSA members responsible.”

‘Humanitarian Corridor’ back on the table

The concept of a “humanitarian corridor” was first floated by NSA Khalilur Rahman but faced fierce opposition from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which claimed the move could entangle Bangladesh in Myanmar’s internal conflict. The proposal was later shelved.

However, sources now confirm that the Armed Forces Division, operating under Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus’ office, is considering reviving the plan. In May 2025, the same division had proposed designating a “military operations zone” between Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban to tighten border security — a plan now being revisited in conjunction with the corridor proposal.

This time, the corridor is being envisioned not just as a conduit for aid but as a structured channel to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their original settlements in Rakhine State.

Allegations of cross-border involvement

The discussion comes amid allegations that certain Bangladeshi security agencies, including the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), are clandestinely allowing armed ARSA and RSO members to cross into Myanmar.

Last week, the United League of Arakan — the political wing of the Arakan Army — issued a formal warning to Dhaka, accusing the interim government of tacitly supporting cross-border insurgent raids.

Security experts believe the renewed debate on the humanitarian corridor signals a broader shift in Bangladesh’s regional strategy. With instability deepening in Rakhine and Western pressure mounting for repatriation, Dhaka is weighing how to balance humanitarian responsibility with national security.

As one analyst at the conference summed up: “Bangladesh cannot indefinitely shoulder the burden of nearly a million refugees. The corridor may be controversial, but it could soon become a necessity.”