Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain warned that the unresolved Rohingya crisis could soon escalate into a serious threat to regional security if a sustainable solution was not urgently pursued.
‘Our humanitarian act has put us in immense socio-economic and environmental challenges and the situation is now posing new security risks,’ he said.
The adviser made the remark while addressing a high-level open debate at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday at the UN headquarters in New York, according to a message received Dhaka on Friday.
Touhid pointed out that for over eight years, Bangladesh had been hosting 1.2 million Rohingya people who fled from their own country Myanmar due to persecution by the military regime.
Saying that protracted crises often emerge from systemic marginalisation, the adviser called for renewed international attention and action to ensure Rohingya’s return with safety and rights.
‘This is not only a matter of justice, but also vital for preventing a root cause of a potential instability in our region,’ he said.
Touhid said that the world then was marked by the interconnected challenges of poverty, underdevelopment, and conflict. ‘If we are to preserve international peace and security, addressing the challenges is not optional – it is essential.’
The adviser said that Bangladesh had long viewed its youth as powerful agents of positive change.
‘From the historic Language Movement in 1952 to the Liberation War, and most recently, the student-led ‘Monsoon Revolution’, young people in Bangladesh have consistently been at the forefront of movements against inequality and injustice. We are also deeply aware of the consequences when young people are denied access to education and employment,’ he said.
He said that the current global development and security landscape was shaped by long-standing inequities, many of which stemmed from centuries of political subjugation and economic exploitation.
‘Correcting these imbalances is our shared responsibility.’ Touhid opined.
The adviser said that Bangladesh saw strong merit in enhanced coordination across the three pillars of the United Nations and emphasised the importance of collaboration between the Security Council, ECOSOC, and the Peacebuilding Commission to ensure that peacebuilding strategies reflected on-the-ground development realities.
Touhid said that Bangladesh recognised the transformative potential of ‘social business,’ pioneered by chief adviser Professor Yunus.
‘By prioritising people over profits, such enterprises boost inclusive growth and reduce grievances that would otherwise lead to unrest. We believe this approach offers valuable lessons worth replicating globally,’ he said.
The foreign adviser said that Bangladesh would remain committed to doing its part, and working alongside all concerned in pursuit of a more just, peaceful, and secure world.
