Knowledge Partner
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
D iplomacy is a means for countries to communicate with each other - even between adversaries - and can result in the normalisa * on of a complex rela * onship . The role of diplomacy becomes crucial during conflict as * mely interven * on ojen helps in conflict preven * on , and thus contributes to the reduc * on of violence . War occurs when diplomacy fails . Diplomacy should aim for peaceful resolu * on of the conflict accompanied by an outcome favourable to its interest . The recent exodus of Rohingyas into Bangladesh from neighbouring Myanmar adds an important perspec * ve to conflict diplomacy . The Rohingya refugee situa * on stands as a textbook case for diplomacy in during a crisis where the countries involved have very limited choices to influence adversaries . The refugee crisis highlights the vulnerabili * es of neighbouring countries during internal conflicts across the border . The case of Bangladesh also brings into focus the role diplomacy can play in the shaping of global opinion .
hos * ng Rohingya refugees are adding an addi * onal burden on the scarce resources this lower middle-income country possesses . With a popula * on of 160 million , Bangladesh is one of the most populous countries in the world and resources like land are already exhausted . Housing an addi * onal popula * on for a long * me will be an added pressure for the country that wishes to elevate its status to a middle-income country in the future . Second , the country is fearful of internal backlash . With the recent exodus , the number of Rohingya refugees residing in Bangladesh has reached close to a million and threatens to alter the demographics of the regions where camps have been established , mostly in Cox ’ s Bazar . A change in the demography might flare up conflict between the locals and the refuge-seekers .
Since August 2017 , approximately 650,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar ’ s Rakhine State have fled to Bangladesh following the outbreak of violence . Rohingyas are an ethnic minority community of Myanmar , predominantly Muslims , and have close linguis * c similari * es with some dialects in Bangladesh . Rohingyas have been the subject of Myanmar ’ s internal conflict ; and Bangladesh , by virtue of being the dominant des * na * on for refugees across the border , assumes an important place in the scheme of the ongoing conflict .
Bangladesh has been receiving Rohingyas in intervals since 1980 . Prior to the current exodus , around 400,000 refugees were residing in Bangladesh . The issue of Rohingya refugees has been a major irritant in the Myanmar- Bangladesh bilateral . The current influx , one of the biggest in recent history , intensified adverse feelings between the two countries . Public opinion in Bangladesh demanded government ac * on against the claimed atroci * es on Rohingyas by Myanmar ’ s security forces and urged the government to pressurise the country for a permanent solu * on to the refugee issue .
Earlier aQempts to repatriate the refugees through bilateral discussions could not yield desired results , and as a consequence , Bangladesh had to look for alterna * ves . Given its limited trade and economic ac * vi * es with Myanmar , Bangladesh was aware of the limita * ons of popular bilateral measures , like suspension of trade rela * ons . Addi * onally , coercive measures like arms embargoes would not be effec * ve
Since August 2017 , approximately 650,000
Rohingyas from Myanmar ’ s Rakhine State have fled to Bangladesh following the outbreak of violence .
unless they garner interna * onal support . Bangladesh was pragma * c in realising the efficacy of diplomacy here . Thus , building interna * onal support became its priority .
Bangladesh ’ s insistence on speedy repatria * on of the Rohingya refugees arises from the following reasons . First ,
Image 7 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed delivered addressing the UN General Assembkly in September 2017
Again , delay in the repatria * on of Rohingyas poses a security risk to the country . There are specula * ons about various interna * onal terrorist organisa * ons interested in recrui * ng Rohingyas as cadres to expand their clandes * ne network in the Indian subcon * nent , of which Bangladesh is a part , which may impinge on the stability of the country . Besides , areas close to Bangladesh ' s border with Myanmar are infamous for being a hub for various cross-border criminal ac * vi * es like smuggling of arms and narco * cs . Concerns have been expressed that the Rohingya refugees could be used by these cross-border criminal syndicates as their peddlers .
Another concern that led Bangladesh to demand an urgent solu * on to the problem is that Myanmar does not recognise Rohingyas as its ci * zens . In fact , Myanmar regards them as migrants from Bangladesh . A delayed response would prompt the exodus of more Rohingyas from Myanmar . It
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