Bangladesh is standing at a critical juncture of political transition, said Dr. Enamul Haque Chowdhury, adviser to BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He said Bangladesh has moved beyond a period of one-sided allegiance in international affairs and has now been able to assert its own distinct position. New opportunities are also emerging to strengthen relations with Muslim countries, neighboring states and development partners.
He made the remarks on Thursday morning, August 27, at a breakfast meeting with international representatives at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka. The meeting was held with a delegation from Human Concern International representing the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The meeting was attended by Mahmuda Khan, Global Head of Human Concern International; Masum Mahbub, Head of Human Concern International USA; Sami Hamdi, a UK-based journalist, political commentator and prominent analyst of the Muslim world; and other guests. Ibrahim Chowdhury, Editor of Prothom Alo North America, and Fadllullah Wilmot, a Malaysian private-sector development specialist and a scholar affiliated with the University of Tasmania, were also present.
The discussions focused on Bangladesh’s current challenges and opportunities surrounding the Rohingya crisis, as well as ways to bring the issue back to the forefront of international attention. Sami Hamdi, who has been vocal about refugee crises affecting the Muslim world, shared his views on what Bangladesh could do to advance the Rohingya issue. He also cited Turkey’s experience as an example.
Mahmuda Khan and Masum Mahbub outlined Human Concern International’s various activities in Bangladesh, including its work related to the Rohingya crisis. The participants observed that despite numerous international initiatives and efforts over the past nine years, global attention to the Rohingya crisis has gradually declined. Against this backdrop, the meeting explored how effective and practical initiatives could be developed to bring the Rohingya crisis back to the center of international attention.
Dr. Enamul Haque Chowdhury said bringing Bangladesh out of long-standing institutional and structural frameworks would be a difficult task for the current government. The meeting also discussed the potential for greater cooperation with Muslim countries and stronger bilateral relations, particularly in areas such as the energy sector.
The participants also held detailed discussions on Bangladesh’s strategy for achieving a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis, ways to make international cooperation more effective, and possible avenues for restoring the crisis to the international priority agenda.
