Myanmar Dismisses Military Advisor at Bangladesh Embassy, Tensions Rise Over ‘Humanitarian Corridor’

Staff Correspondent

Dhaka, May 16, 2025: On May 13, Myanmar’s junta government dismissed Brigadier General Md. Aftab Hossain, the military advisor of the military wing at the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon. This marks the first instance in history where a host government has dismissed an official from a Bangladeshi embassy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh has ordered his recall and has not sent any replacement.

The issue of establishing a humanitarian corridor in Rakhine State has heightened tensions between Myanmar’s junta government and Bangladesh’s interim administration. The proposed UN-backed humanitarian corridor aims to provide aid to insurgent groups in Rakhine and create conditions for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. However, Myanmar’s junta government fears that the corridor could facilitate the activities of insurgent groups, straining diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In April, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Tawhid Hossain stated that while Bangladesh agreed in principle to the humanitarian corridor proposal, it had imposed certain conditions. He said, “We cannot have formal communications with non-state actors, but we need to maintain some contacts in our interest.” Following this statement, the Myanmar government expressed dissatisfaction with the activities of Bangladesh’s military advisor and decided to dismiss him.

Simultaneously, Foreign Affairs Advisor Tawhid Hossain also lost his job due to bringing the “humanitarian corridor” issue into public discussion. The interim government’s intention was to handle the matter discreetly, which is why it did not consult any political parties or domestic security agencies. Following the advisor’s remarks, Yunus’ interim government—effectively led by US citizen Dr. Khalilur Rahman—dismissed him.

The ongoing conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar’s military in Rakhine State has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region. A UN report warns of an impending famine in Rakhine, with nearly 2 million people at risk of starvation. Bangladesh, which already hosts over 1.3 million Rohingya refugees, is not immune to the repercussions of this crisis.

Diplomatic analysts believe this incident could introduce new complexities in Bangladesh-Myanmar relations. Many view the junta’s move as a reaction to its eroding control in Rakhine and mounting international pressure. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing in domestic and foreign circles about how Bangladesh’s interim government will address the situation.

Following this incident, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement. However, it is clear that tensions between the two countries over the humanitarian corridor in Rakhine may escalate further, potentially affecting regional stability.