Bangladesh Seeks Visible Role and Stronger Diplomatic Pressure from Sweden on Rohingya Repatriation

Maksuda Lisa (Dhaka Bureau) Bangladesh has called upon Sweden to step up diplomatic pressure on Myanmar authorities through the European Union (EU) to ensure a safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya from Myanmar. At the same time, Dhaka has urged Sweden to take special initiatives on the global stage to ensure that the Rohingya tragedy is not sidelined from the international community’s list of priorities amid ongoing global conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the Middle East crisis. The call was made on Sunday (October 4) during a courtesy meeting between State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir and Sweden’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Nicolas Weeks, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. During the meeting, the Swedish ambassador congratulated the new state minister and highly praised Bangladesh for providing humanitarian shelter to nearly 1.2 million Rohingya for nearly a decade and for maintaining regional stability. Funding Deficit and Internal Security Concerns According to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), approximately 1.17 million Rohingya sheltered in 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char in Noakhali are entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance. During the meeting, the State Minister highlighted the issue of failing to secure desired funding for the Joint Response Plan (JRP). Expressing deep concern, he noted that due to global funding deficits, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has already been forced to cut the monthly food assistance allocation per Rohingya to $8. Significant funding shortfalls relative to actual needs have put nutrition and healthcare services in the camps at extreme risk. The reduction in food and humanitarian assistance is leading to a gradual deterioration of internal law and order within the camps, with alarming increases in criminal tendencies such as human trafficking, gang violence, and drug smuggling. As one of the key policy-making and donor nations of the EU, Sweden was requested to allocate additional grants to address this funding deficit and to encourage other Western nations to do the same. Geopolitics of Rakhine and International Sanctions Highlighting the complex realities of the ongoing war and border security situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the State Minister clarified that a conducive and safe environment for repatriation has not yet been established due to the political calculations involving the junta forces, the armed rebel group ‘Arakan Army,’ and the National Unity Government (NUG). Stating that the Rohingya will not agree to return to Myanmar without active UN monitoring, guarantees of citizenship, and promises of fundamental rights, he emphasized that international and European Union sanctions against the Myanmar military junta must be maintained. Sweden’s strong support was sought for taking effective measures at ASEAN and the UN Security Council. Green Fuel, Bhasan Char, and Bilateral Economic Partnership Expressing gratitude for Sweden’s continuous contributions to crisis management, the State Minister noted that the $2.9 million (approximately BDT 350 million) financial assistance provided by Sweden at the beginning of 2026 to deliver life-saving services in the Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps, protect forests, and strengthen the ‘Green Fuel Initiative’ is playing a highly effective role. Furthermore, he urged the expansion of Swedish funding scope toward improving living standards and infrastructural support for Rohingya relocated to Bhasan Char, thereby easing the pressure on Cox’s Bazar. Additionally, the discussion touched upon strengthening bilateral trade relations between Bangladesh and Sweden, which currently exceed $1.5 billion, driven largely by Bangladeshi ready-made garment exports. Recalling the contributions of top Swedish retail brands like H&M and multinational telecommunications companies like Ericsson, the State Minister emphasized ensuring ‘GSP+’ benefits following Bangladesh’s final graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by continuing duty-free market access in the EU and complying with 32 international conventions covering human rights, labor rights, and the environment. Describing Bangladesh as one of the most promising economic hubs in South Asia, he invited Swedish entrepreneurs to invest jointly in economic zones covering pharmaceuticals, heavy engineering, green energy, and telecommunications, alongside transferring modern technology. Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks expressed a positive attitude toward Bangladesh’s commercial vision and trade protection in the European market. He also reiterated Sweden’s commitment to continuing its comprehensive humanitarian and diplomatic cooperation until a permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis is reached. Maksuda Lisa: Maksuda Lisa is a senior journalist and one of Bangladesh’s early-generation women sports journalists, with 18 years of experience working across leading national newspapers, including Dainik Banglabazar and Manab Zamin, as well as television, print media, and online news portals. She is currently a Staff Correspondent at Pressenza International Press Agency (Dhaka Bureau). She is the first woman elected Sports Secretary of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) and served two consecutive terms. Alongside journalism, she has been actively involved in cricket-particularly women’s cricket- through team management, coaching, and organizational roles. She served as a Liaison Officer at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2014, Manager of the Pink Team in the BCB Women’s Cricket Cup, and Manager of the Dhaka Abahani women’s team. A former first-class cricketer with a 15-year competitive career, she represented Dhaka and Sylhet Divisions at the competitive level. She is currently a National Panel Umpire with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Women Cricketers Association (BWCA). She holds a master’s degree in Political Science.

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