No deal yet for aid supply to Rakhine: Security Adviser

National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday said no agreement was signed yet among the relevant parties for supply of aid to crisis-hit Rakhine state of Myanmar.

“There has been no agreement on the provision of aid to Rakhine yet as it would require consent of all relevant parties and fulfillment of a number of prerequisites which are common in other cases of humanitarian support around the world,” he told a press briefing.

 Dr Khalilur said the prerequisites include, among others, unhindered access of aid providers and recipients, non-discrimination in the provision of aid, non-weaponisation of assistance and suspension of armed activities.  

The press briefing on the humanitarian channel issue in Rakhine was held at the Foreign Service Academy in the afternoon.

Replying to a question, the national security adviser said the question of humanitarian support to the Rakhine state arose when Bangladesh authorities learned about the acute humanitarian crisis it is facing.

He said UNDP predicted impending famine like conditions, while Bangladesh was concerned that this situation would drive more people from Rakhine into Bangladesh. 

Already, he said, Bangladesh is shouldering the burden of sheltering over 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar and cannot simply afford another wave of refugees. 

“It’s already a big burden on Bangladesh,” he said. 

Given the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Rakhine state, the UN and Bangladesh began consideration of the provision of humanitarian support, Dr Khalilur said. 

“Since all other aid delivery avenues are unviable due to conflict, Bangladesh turned out to be the only feasible option. It was thought that the UN would organise distribution of aid through its channels within Rakhine and Bangladesh would provide logistical support to transfer aid across Bangladesh-Myanmar border,” he said.

Additionally, the adviser said, Bangladesh considered that aid to Rakhine would help stabilise the state and pave the way for creating enabling conditions for return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir were also present during the press briefing.