Rohingya crisis could burden for decades
Diplomatic Correspondent :
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said that Bangladesh’s political culture must be redefined and its democratic institutions strengthened.
“The youth will not allow a return to pre-2024 political realities. They will drive qualitative change in politics,” he said.
On the Rohingya issue, he warned that unless repatriation begins soon, the crisis could burden the region for decades. He called for a seven-to-eight-year plan to address the situation.
He came up with the statements while addressing as the Chief Guest at the opening session of the Bengal Delta Conference 2025 held at a city hotel on Friday.
He emphasized the urgent need for a transformation in Bangladesh’s political culture, warning that the country’s youth and wider population will no longer accept outdated political arrangements.
The two-day international conference, organised by the Dhaka Institute of Research and Analytics (DIRA) opened with the theme: “Bangladesh at Crossroads: Rethinking Politics, Economics, Geopolitical Strategy.”
Describing the Rohingya crisis difficult, Touhid Hossain said, “The difficult crisis Bangladesh is going to face is the Rohingya crisis which does not have any solution in our hand. With the passage of time, the situation is deteriorating.
As the Rohingya children and youths are growing up rapidly. They would not accept the existing system. Finally it will affect all, including Bangladesh.”
The inaugural session opened with the national anthem, followed by a minute’s silence in remembrance of the July martyrs. A documentary on the July uprising and Bangladesh’s socio-political developments was then screened.
Delivering the welcome address, Professor Mushtaq Khan of SOAS, University of London, reflected on the July 2024 uprising, noting that DAIRA itself was among the organisations born out of the people’s movement.
While acknowledging widespread frustrations ranging from political parties and the interim government’s achievements to law and order, reforms, and justice for killings, Khan stressed the historic accomplishments of 2024.
“The unarmed uprising toppled one of the region’s most violent, repressive, and bloodthirsty regimes,” he said.
“Bangladesh has a history of popular movements ending authoritarian rule. Although the fascist state structures have not been fully dismantled, their restoration is impossible. People will not compromise on employment, health, and education. Politics must open up, and party financing must be rethought,’ he added.
Mazlee bin Malik, Malaysia’s former Education Minister and Chairman of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS), said Bangladesh could become a beacon of hope for the Global South.
He urged a shift from a labour-driven to a knowledge-driven economy, highlighted the promise of a blue economy, and underscored Bangladesh’s leadership potential in global climate action.
He also expressed optimism that ASEAN would support Bangladesh in resolving the Rohingya crisis.
Former Nepalese Water Resources Minister Dipak Gyawali described the moment as a historic crossroads not only for the Bengal Delta but for all of South Asia.
He argued that the Westminster model of democracy, imported from Britain, has failed in Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
“The real question is whether we are talking about democracy or governance,” he said.
“While institutions, parties, and elections exist, the essence of democracy, empowering the people, remains absent. Most countries in this region lack good governance and accountability. We must rethink what kind of democracy we want.”
Editor of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam criticized Bangladeshi politicians for treating democracy merely as a ladder to Parliament. “There is no alternative but to strengthen democratic institutions for Bangladesh’s future,” he stressed.
Founding Editor of India’s The Wire Siddharth Varadarajan remarked that Bangladesh’s current trajectory has global implications but warned that its greatest vulnerability lies in economic inequality.
Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University and member of the conference’s advisory council, underlined the importance of the Bay of Bengal as Bangladesh’s main gateway to the world.
The conference will continue on Saturday with sessions dedicated to political reform, economic strategy, climate resilience, and Bangladesh’s evolving role in global geopolitics.