The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced plans to unite all political forces to resist the interim government's reported agreement to facilitate a humanitarian corridor from Chittagong Hill Tracts to Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
The party described the move as a threat to Bangladesh’s sovereignty, security, and regional stability.
Several BNP Standing Committee members said the decision—reportedly made without consultation—is both alarming and unacceptable. They warned that such a corridor could entangle Bangladesh in regional conflict, drawing parallels with Gaza and cautioning against turning the country into a geopolitical flashpoint.
BNP policymakers, during a virtual meeting on Monday chaired by acting chairman Tarique Rahman, expressed grave concerns about the corridor initiative. They unanimously condemned what they called a unilateral decision by an unelected government lacking public mandate.
"This issue dominated our meeting. Every member strongly objected to the government's move," said one standing committee member. "We are gathering facts and will present the issue to the nation with evidence and logic."
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticized the government publicly, asserting that any decision with implications for national sovereignty must involve all political stakeholders. "Such humanitarian corridors have been used in Gaza. We do not want Bangladesh to become another Gaza," he warned.
BNP leaders said they plan to send an official letter or a delegation to meet the Chief Adviser to gain clarity on the matter. They also emphasized the importance of understanding regional dynamics, including the positions of China and India, before committing to such an initiative.
Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, a BNP standing committee member, said, "We’re still gathering information. We want to know what conditions, if any, are attached to this decision."
Another senior leader suggested the corridor might be part of a broader international strategy to destabilize the region—potentially even involving aspirations for a Christian state across the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Myanmar.
BNP leaders acknowledged the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine but stressed that Bangladesh, already burdened with over a million Rohingya refugees, must not expose itself to further risks.
Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said the move could severely compromise Bangladesh’s security and territorial integrity. “Any decision that could drag Bangladesh into military conflict must be made with extreme caution and national consensus,” he stated.
On Saturday, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain stated that the interim government had, *in principle*, agreed to allow a UN-supervised humanitarian corridor, subject to conditions. However, details of those conditions have not been made public.
The government has also not confirmed whether discussions were held with the UN, although the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam previously denied that any formal talks had taken place.
As the BNP prepares to mobilize opposition and engage civil society, the issue is rapidly emerging as a major flashpoint in national discourse.
