BIMSTEC Secretary-General Explains Absence of Rohingya Issue from Agenda
BIMSTEC Secretary-General Indra Mani Pandey explained that the Rohingya crisis is not on the agenda of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) because member states collectively decide on the agenda, and it currently excludes 'political type' issues. He stated this on Tuesday in Dhaka while responding to journalists' questions. Pandey was speaking at a meeting with members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Gulshan. He elaborated that BIMSTEC was formed to foster practical and visible cooperation, particularly in technical and economic sectors, connecting South and Southeast Asia. The organization focuses on tangible cooperation and deliberately stays away from political matters, despite receiving necessary political support from its member states. This explanation follows a seminar on Monday where the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obed Islam, called for BIMSTEC to take effective initiatives for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland. Myanmar, a member of BIMSTEC and the origin of the Rohingya refugees, has seen over 1.1 million Rohingya flee to Bangladesh since ethnic persecution and violence in 2017. Bangladesh has been seeking international cooperation for their return.
The Secretary-General's clarification highlights BIMSTEC's strategic decision to prioritize economic and technical cooperation over politically sensitive issues like the Rohingya crisis. This approach aims to maintain organizational cohesion and operational efficiency by avoiding divisive geopolitical disputes among its seven member states. While this focus on practical collaboration can yield tangible benefits, it also presents a potential contradiction: the region's stability and economic prosperity are intrinsically linked to addressing humanitarian crises that impact member states like Bangladesh. Future challenges may arise if member states' national interests increasingly diverge on critical regional issues, potentially testing BIMSTEC's ability to remain politically neutral while fostering meaningful cooperation.
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