Bangladesh has recalled its ambassador from Myanmar, a foreign ministry official said on Thursday, after admitting to establishing contact with a rebel group fighting Myanmar’s military junta.
This admission marked a significant shift in Dhaka’s traditionally neutral stance and prompted sharp responses from Naypyidaw, which accused Bangladesh of interfering in its internal affairs.
Monowar Hossain, who had been serving in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw since mid-2023, was told to return to Dhaka with immediate effect, said the official, describing it as an “administrative decision” without giving further reasons.
Relations between Bangladesh and Myanmar have been strained by the Rohingya refugee crisis and border security concerns.
A Myanmar junta spokesperson was not available for comment.
Rohingya Crisis
More than 1.2 million Rohingya are sheltering in Bangladesh, with the U.N. warning that widespread hunger in western Rakhine state could trigger fresh displacement. Over 130,000 people are thought to have crossed in the past year, Bangladesh says.
Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman said last week that Dhaka has opened informal communication channels with the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group active in Rakhine, to maintain border stability.
Dhaka also remains engaged with the Myanmar junta to pursue a long-term solution to the Rohingya crisis, Rahman said, including potential support for a proposed U.N.-led humanitarian corridor in Rakhine.
But Bangladesh’s army opposes that.
“The army will not be involved in any activity that compromises the country’s security,” Colonel Shafiqul Islam, a senior Bangladesh army official, told reporters this week, of the aid plan.
Diplomatic Tensions
Diplomatic tensions between Bangladesh and Myanmar have intensified following a series of sensitive developments.
Ongoing border security concerns have strained the situation, as violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State spills over into Bangladeshi territory, endangering civilians and prompting a heightened military presence on both sides.
Additionally, the unresolved Rohingya refugee crisis continues to fuel mistrust, with over a million displaced individuals still living in camps in southern Bangladesh.
Regional analysts warn that without effective mediation, the rift could destabilise broader Southeast Asian security dynamics. Both nations are under pressure from international actors to exercise restraint and reengage diplomatically.
(With inputs from Reuters)
