No agreement on ‘humanitarian corridor’ for Rakhine: Khalilur

National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman has said Bangladesh has not agreed to any ‘humanitarian corridor’ into war-torn Rakhine State of Myanmar to allow transit of humanitarian aid to Rohingya people.

Speaking as a special guest at a seminar titled "Repatriation of Rohingya in Bangladesh: Strategic Implications on Regional Security and Ways Ahead", he, called the term ‘humanitarian corridor’ misleading and misused.

"We have not discussed a humanitarian corridor. We have no agreement on a humanitarian corridor. We have no agreement on anything yet with the parties," said Khalilur, who is also the high representative for the Rohingya issue.

Khalilur clarified that even the UN secretary-general did not use the term ‘corridor’, which, he said, carries specific implications. "He used the term 'humanitarian channel', which is completely different," he added.

The Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD) organised the seminar.

Mentioning that for any humanitarian effort to proceed, parties involved must agree, Khalilur said the Arakan Army had questioned how they could suspend armed actions while Myanmar's military continued airstrikes.

"We discussed this with Myanmar's government. They agreed not to launch airstrikes if the Arakan Army halts its ground operations. No fighting, no airstrikes -- that gives us a pause in armed conflict. That's what we have achieved so far," he said.