Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has dismissed the growing public concern and debate over the so-called Rakhine Corridor issue as a “smear campaign,” rejecting claims that Bangladesh has granted any corridor to Myanmar. In his recent statement, Yunus characterized the rumors as baseless and misleading, asserting that the idea that “Bangladesh has given a corridor” is pure fabrication.
However, despite his firm denial, the controversy has not subsided. Critics point to an earlier, more detailed statement made by Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, which appeared to acknowledge the corridor matter as more than mere rumor.
Speaking at a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press briefing in Dhaka on April 27, Touhid Hossain stated that Bangladesh had “agreed in principle” to allow a humanitarian corridor under certain conditions—for the benefit of displaced Rohingyas in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The briefing was presented as part of the government’s diplomatic transparency, but many have interpreted it as confirmation of behind-the-scenes policymaking on a matter of national and regional sensitivity.
This apparent contradiction between Yunus’s outright dismissal and Hossain’s measured acknowledgment has fueled public confusion and intensified concerns about transparency. How could the government agree in principle to such a critical decision—especially one with geopolitical and humanitarian consequences—without public consultation or parliamentary debate?
In light of these developments, citizens and analysts alike are asking: if the government did indeed express a willingness to allow a conditional humanitarian corridor, can the entire matter now be brushed off as mere “smear”?
Observers argue that instead of calming public fears, Dr. Yunus’s sweeping denial risks undermining the more fact-based diplomatic position presented by his own foreign affairs adviser. The discrepancy between these two narratives raises troubling questions about internal coherence in policymaking and the role of public accountability in foreign affairs decisions.
At a time when Bangladesh is navigating complex regional dynamics, including tense relations with Myanmar and the unresolved Rohingya crisis, clarity and openness from the highest levels of government are essential. Dismissing genuine concerns as misinformation may only deepen public mistrust—and fail to address the real geopolitical stakes involved.