Rohingya repatriation will take time: foreign adviser
PARBATTANEWS DESK
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said the repatriation of Rohingya refugees sheltered in Bangladesh will take “a long time”, and that Dhaka will need to move forward with long-term preparation to resolve the crisis.
He made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the foreign ministry in Dhaka on Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026.
Touhid also referred to Dhaka’s diplomatic protest to Myanmar after cross-border gunfire left nine-year-old Huzaifa Afnan critically injured near the Teknaf border during violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
He said the foreign ministry’s role is to summon Myanmar’s ambassador and lodge an objection, while operational issues on the ground are better handled by the security side.
Bangladesh recently called in Myanmar’s ambassador to Dhaka, U Kyaw Soe Moe, and expressed deep concern over the shooting, according to the foreign ministry. The envoy expressed sympathy and said steps would be taken to prevent a repeat.
Drone plant deal with China, ‘balance’ in foreign ties
Touhid said Bangladesh is planning a government-to-government (G-to-G) agreement with China to set up a military drone manufacturing facility, stressing that Dhaka would not take any step that could harm relations with any country and would “maintain a balance”.
Media reports have put the proposed project value at Tk 608.08 crore (Tk 6.08 billion), involving a drone manufacturing plant and transfer of technology (ToT) for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The reports also said the finance ministry approved the proposal on Jan 6.
Touhid said Bangladesh needs to enhance the capabilities of its armed forces, citing ageing aircraft and minimum procurement needs for the Air Force.
No alliance decision; visa sections in India closed for security
On questions about alignment, Touhid said Bangladesh has not joined any alliance in the past one and a half years, and would consider participation in groupings only if it serves national interests.
He also said the visa sections of three Bangladesh missions in India were kept closed temporarily on security grounds. Diplomatic sources identified the missions as those in New Delhi, Kolkata and Agartala.
