The Bangladesh Dialogue hosted TBD Perspective VI at the Krishibid Institute, Dhaka, addressing Bangladesh’s foreign policy challenges, national security priorities, and the potential consequences of establishing a humanitarian corridor. Speakers cautioned that if the interim government proceeds with such a decision, it could drag Bangladesh into a war-like situation. They stressed that humanitarian corridors often involve military intervention, a decision that should rest with a directly elected parliament due to its implications on national interest and security.
Former ambassador and Bangladesh Enterprise Institute President M. Humayun Kabir emphasized that Bangladesh’s foreign policy over the past 15 years has been largely “India-centric,” yielding economic growth but raising security concerns. He highlighted that the Rohingya crisis cannot be resolved by Bangladesh alone; meaningful solutions require political shifts in Myanmar and cooperation from China, India, and other global players. A military approach, he warned, would compromise Bangladesh’s safety and sovereignty.
Syemum Parvez, Executive Editor of The Road to Democracy, questioned whether past diplomatic stances truly reflected Bangladesh’s interests. He warned that creating a humanitarian corridor under an unelected government would harm national security without resolving the crisis. He called for an immediate transfer of power to an elected government capable of making legitimate, people-driven foreign policy decisions.
Independent journalist and educator Asif Bin Ali stressed the absence of a long-term national policy framework and warned against external interference in Bangladesh’s domestic political process.
Panelists unanimously agreed that Bangladesh must strengthen its diplomacy, safeguard sovereignty, and develop policies based on identity, security, and national development. Any humanitarian corridor imposed without public mandate risks destabilizing the nation, exposing it to conflict, and undermining its independence.
