CA calls on Malaysia to lead ASEAN in resolving Rohingya crisis

Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has urged Malaysia, in its capacity as current chair of ASEAN, to use its regional influence to drive a coordinated and sustainable solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Bernama, Malaysia’s national news agency, during a three-day official visit from August 11 to August 13, Dr. Yunus emphasized that Bangladesh can no longer shoulder the humanitarian, economic, and security burden of hosting nearly 1.4 million Rohingya refugees alone.

“I did not take on this responsibility by choice,” Yunus said. “It was the will of the people. I am simply helping to guide a democratic process that has been absent for too long.”

He highlighted Malaysia’s unique moral and political standing in the region, citing its history of sheltering Rohingya refugees and its leadership role in ASEAN.

“Malaysia has both the experience and the credibility to lead,” he said. “We hope it will use its chairmanship to push for concrete, region-wide initiatives — not just statements — that can bring about safe, dignified, and voluntary repatriation to Myanmar.”

He warned that the situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State has worsened due to escalating conflict between the Arakan Army and the military junta, triggering a new wave of displacement.

“In just the past 18 months, an additional 150,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh,” Dr. Yunus said. “With over 1.2 million already here since 2017, the crisis is deepening by the day.”

A growing concern, he noted, is the recent suspension of US funding for Rohingya relief operations.

“This has created a critical gap in food, healthcare, and education services in the camps,” Dr. Yunus said. “As international support wanes, ASEAN must step up. We cannot allow the Rohingya to be forgotten.”

To reinvigorate global attention, Bangladesh plans to co-host three international conferences on the Rohingya issue in the coming months. The first will be held in Cox’s Bazar at the end of August, marking the eighth anniversary of the mass exodus that began in August 2017.

“Our goal is to move from emergency aid to sustainable solutions — regional responsibility-sharing, accountability for crimes, and a clear pathway to citizenship and return,” he said.

On domestic reforms, Dr. Yunus stressed that his interim administration is not imposing a top-down agenda, but facilitating a transformation driven by the people.

“The demand for change is not mine — it is the people’s,” he said. “My role is to listen, support, and safeguard the democratic process they have long been denied.”

He acknowledged significant challenges, including resistance from ousted political forces and systemic inertia.

“There are many who want to destabilize this process,” Dr. Yunus said. “But a new generation is rising — many of whom have waited 10 or even 15 years to vote. For the first time in over a decade, they will exercise their democratic right in the national elections scheduled for February 2026.”

In parallel developments, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan said Bangladesh has the potential to become a regional leader in green shipbuilding.

“Green shipbuilding is no longer a buzzword — it is the global standard,” Khan said in his keynote address at a maritime technology seminar on Saturday.

“Countries that can design, build, and export eco-friendly, low-emission vessels will lead the maritime economy of the 21st century. With the right investments and policies, Bangladesh can lead this transformation in South Asia.”