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Published : 03 May 2025, 11:32 PM
Myanmar’s military government has rejected a proposal reportedly made by Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami to establish a “separate state” for the Rohingya in Rakhine, calling it a threat to the country’s sovereignty.
The Irrawaddy, a media outlet run by Myanmar exiles, reported the development on Friday, citing a statement issued by the junta.
The proposal surfaced after a meeting between the Jamaat and Communist Party of China (CPC) held on Apr 27 in Dhaka’s Gulshan.
Following the meeting, several media outlets reported that Jamaat had suggested establishing an independent state in Rakhine for the Rohingya population.
The next day, Jamaat-e-Islami issued a statement clarifying its position.
Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, the party’s deputy chief, said: “In the press briefing, I mainly tried to convey that Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh should be repatriated with dignity and safety, and that a secure zone should be established for them in their homeland.”
Taher, speaking after the meeting with the CPC, had earlier told journalists: “As you know, there are around 1.1 or 1.2 million Rohingya in Bangladesh.
“They are living in inhumane conditions. We said that food, clothing, and shelter are not solutions. The real solution is to return the Rohingya to their homeland.”
He added, “We have therefore presented a proposal—to establish an independent Arakan (Rakhine) state in the area where the Rohingya are the majority.”
According to the Jamaat leader, “China can play the biggest role here because of its deep ties with Myanmar. They will inform their government about our new proposal and try to take the initiative.”
Six days after the Jamaat’s proposal, the Myanmar junta issued a statement saying it had undermined the sovereignty of Myanmar.
The junta’s statement claimed that Jamaat had been in contact with the CPC to seek political advantage.
“Myanmar has repeatedly articulated its stance on the repatriation of “Bengali” refugees,” it reads.
“Bengali” is a term used by the Myanmar military to refer to the Rohingya as interlopers from Bangladesh, The Irrawaddy noted.
The junta further said Myanmar’s deputy foreign minister has been holding regular meetings in Kunming with Bangladeshi officials on the refugee repatriation issue.
The regime said it had a policy of verifying and registering refugees before repatriation and had built enough accommodation for returnees.
More than 750,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State and sought refuge in Bangladesh after Aug 25, 2017, in the wake of a military crackdown.
They joined an estimated 400,000 others already sheltering in overcrowded camps near Cox’s Bazar, a coastal district where one of the world’s largest refugee settlements now exists.
Under mounting international pressure, Myanmar’s then-government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, signed a repatriation agreement with Bangladesh in late 2017.
But two attempts to return refugees in 2019 failed, as the Rohingya refused to go back without guarantees of safety and citizenship.
The situation deteriorated further in 2021 when Myanmar’s military, led by Gen Min Aung Hlaing, seized power in a coup, effectively ending any prospect of diplomatic negotiations.
Subsequent efforts mediated by China also collapsed.
The crisis has since been compounded by fresh violence in Rakhine State, leading to another wave of Rohingya arrivals in Bangladesh.
In a statement, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus said more than 80,000 additional refugees had crossed the border.
As ethnic armed conflict intensifies, the Arakan Army has taken control of nearly all areas along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
With rebel forces seizing key territory, Dhaka’s communication with Naypyidaw has also sharply declined.
