The bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Myanmar is at its lowest ebb due to Rohingya crisis.
Bangladesh is now home to over one million Rohimgyas whom Myanmar military regime in collusion with civil government led by Aung Sun Suu Kyi has driven them out from their ancestral place in Rakhine.
Myanmar envoy in Dhaka is summoned on a regular basis while in reciprocity Bangladesh Ambassador in Nay Pyi Taw is also asked to meet foreign ministry officials there to have unpleasant meetings.
When Bangladesh has been always maintaining a good neighbourhood policy, Myanmar never came forward.
In 1978, Myanmar made first attempt to hurt the recently born Bangladesh when about 0.25 million Rohingyas were driven out from Rakhine. Similar attempt was also made by the neighboring country in 1992 and the final push to annihilate Rohingyas and others from Rakhine was done in 2017.
“We don’t see any progress as Myanmar doesn’t care anything,” said former foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain.
Rohingya crisis is the main stumbling block in the bilateral relationship, he said.
Myanmar has created such an environment which is detrimental to the relationship and it cannot be resolved through political relationship, he feared.
“If you have a crisis like Rohingya, there is no way other issues can be discussed without resolving it,” he said.
The veteran diplomat said, if we take geo-politics into cognizance, the only way to resolve the crisis is to hurt the interest of Myanmar.
“It can be physical or it can be economical or whatever way,” he said.
Touhid said China is an ‘all-weather’ friend of Myanmar and it is protecting the country due to its huge interest.
Not only China, Japan and some Southeast Asian countries are not so vocal about the issue, he said.
Former Defence Attache to Myanmar Mohammad Shahidul Haque subscribing the same view said China needs to invest in Myanmar to develop its bordering states.
The second biggest economy also needs Myanmar to have access to Indian Ocean through Bay of Bengal, he said.
China gets its oil supply through Malacca Strait, which is controlled by US and if there is a disruption of normal oil transportation for any reason, Beijing can get its supply through Indian Ocean, he explained.
Haque said, we need to engage with all countries and flex our economic muscle to resolve the crisis.
“We are constructing Padma Bridge with our own money and giving billions of dollars worth of projects to different countries,” he said.
If we successfully tag the Rohingya issue while awarding such contracts, at least the crisis will be partially resolved, he said.