Row over Myanmar 'humanitarian corridor' sparks Yunus-army feud

DHAKA: A growing rift between Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and the country's military leadership has burst into the open - exposing deep tensions over governance, national security and decision-making authority.

At the heart of the dispute lies a proposal to facilitate a "humanitarian corridor" to Myanmar through Bangladesh, a move reportedly undertaken without the army's knowledge, prompting a forceful and unprecedented rebuke from the chief of army staff. A highly placed source told TOI that Yunus "expressed his desire" to step down on Thursday, as he was "disturbed and frustrated" by the controversy surrounding the issue.

During an Officers' Address event in Dhaka Wednesday, army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman unequivocally rejected "any notion of a corridor", declaring it completely unacceptable without due political consultation. Gen Waker said such a decision should come from an elected govt and must follow due process, while emphasising that national interest must be prioritised and safeguarded. "Whatever is done, it should be through political consensus," he said.

Soon after Waker's remarks, Khalilur Rahman, the NSA and high representative to Yunus, categorically stated on the same day (Wednesday) that the govt had not discussed any corridor to Myanmar with any party and stressed that they do not intend to discuss it either. He clarified the govt was merely in talks with the UN about channelling aid - such as food and medicine - to Rakhine, in light of the humanitarian crisis there.

Security analyst and president of Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies, Maj Gen (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman, however, argued that whether it's called a humanitarian corridor or relief delivery, the essence is the same. "In this case, the national security adviser has simply resorted to semantics. Delivering relief means establishing a corridor. Since the word 'corridor' has recently taken on negative connotations, he chose to avoid it and instead spoke of sending relief to Rakhine state," he said. "...Let me be clear: whether it's called a corridor or relief delivery, both actions are essentially the same. Just as a corridor poses risks for us, so does sending relief."

"Disturbed and frustrated" over these developments, Yunus on Thursday "expressed his desire" to step down, a highly placed source told TOI.

Three prominent members of the July uprising - Mahfuj Alam, Asif Mahmud and National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam - met Yunus on Thursday at his official residence, apparently to convince him not to resign.

After the meeting, Nahid told BBC Bangla that the chief adviser was "considering" resignation. On Friday, the chief adviser's special assistant Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said Yunus will not resign.