Bangladesh Army at odds with government on Myanmar corridor

Speaking at a press briefing in Dhaka, Bangladesh Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Shafiqul Islam hinted at divergence with the interim government’s initiatives to start a humanitarian corridor to Myanmar’s Rakhine province.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The armed forces of Bangladesh will not be party to decisions that may harm the country’s national security, a spokesperson of the Bangladesh Army said on Monday (May 26, 2025).

Speaking at a press briefing in Dhaka, Lt. Col. Shafiqul Islam hinted at divergence with the interim government’s initiatives to start a humanitarian corridor to Myanmar’s Rakhine province and said that the Bangladesh Army will “not compromise” on the matter.

“The Army will not compromise on issues related to the corridor, national security and national sovereignty. After 5 August 2024, the Army has coordinated with everyone for the sake of the country,” said Lt. Col. Islam, expressing opposition to the Mohammed Yunus-led interim government’s proposed idea to create a “humanitarian corridor” to the conflict-torn Rakhine province of Myanmar.

The press briefing from the armed forces of Bangladesh came days after the Army Chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, in a meeting with Commanding Officers on May 21, demanded that elections in Bangladesh be held in December this year.

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Reflecting on General Zaman’s speech, Lt. Col. Islam warned against mob violence in Bangladesh. “Stern action will be taken if anyone tries to organise mobs,” he said.

General Zaman had expressed opposition to the creation of the so-called “humanitarian corridor” that was being planned to connect Chittagong with the Rakhine province of Myanmar amidst apprehension that the corridor might turn into a security challenge, as it would entail partnering with non-state actors such as the Arakan Army in a region that is noted for arms and drugs smuggling. General Zaman had said that the interim government had taken crucial decisions without consulting the armed forces of Bangladesh.

The National Security Adviser to the interim government, Khalilur Rahman, on May 21 had said that the interim government was “not under pressure” from the U.S. or China for the creation of the corridor but has discussed it with the United Nations.

“The UN Secretary-General inquired about Bangladesh’s ability to provide aid to Rakhine. Bangladesh has informed the Arakan Army, through the UN, that aid distribution must be impartial and not used for military purposes,” Mr. Rahman had said during a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Apart from the armed forces, the idea of the corridor with Rakhine has evoked strong criticism from multiple stakeholders, including political parties. “Since all other aid delivery avenues are unviable due to conflict, Bangladesh turned out to be the only feasible option,” Mr. Rahman had said.

General Zaman had indicated strong disagreement with the interim government in this regard and said that the corridor is “completely unacceptable”.

In the backdrop of his remarks on the corridor, the Army Chief received support from Bangladesh Nationalist Party that also backed General Zaman’s call for election by December. “He has spoken in support of democracy in Bangladesh,” said BNP’s standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chaudhury at an event in Dhaka on Monday.