More Bangladeshi parties oppose interim govt’s go-ahead for humanitarian corridor to Rakhine

Dhaka:  More Bangladeshi parties are voicing opposition to the Interim Government's decision to establish a "humanitarian corridor" to Myanmar's Rakhine State to deliver aid supplies, reports Dynamite News correspondent.

Days after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party of former PM Khaleda Zia expressed "grave concern" over the Yunus-led interim government's announcement that Dhaka had agreed in-principle to open a humanitarian corridor for transporting relief supplies to Myanmar's Rakhine, the Bangladesh Islamist party, Khelafat Majlish, has now raised raised alarm over the move.

In a joint statement issued today, party leaders Ameer Mamunul Haque, and Secretary General Jalaluddin Ahmed said "We are deeply concerned to observe that the government has taken a seemingly positive stance under the patronage of foreign powers in establishing the so-called humanitarian corridor in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

Late last month, Touhid Hossain, the interim government's foreign affairs advisor, announced that Dhaka has agreed in-principle, "subject to conditions", to a United Nations (UN) proposal to establish a humanitarian corridor through Bangladesh to send aid to Rakhine State.

The UN has expressed fear the region might witness a famine -- in a fallout of the civil war that could lead to the influx of other ethnic groups into Bangladesh alongside the Rohingya.

The Khelafat Majlish also opposed leasing of Chattogram port to foreign entities.

“At the same time, both public and behind-the-scenes discussions and preparations are underway to lease out the Chattogram port to foreign states or multinational groups," the party said.

The Khelafat Majlish is one of several groups which has actively protested the humanitarian corridor initiative, due to fears that such a move may bring undue foreign influence into Bangladesh’s internal affairs and could have wider geopolitical ramifications.