President Mohammed Shahabuddin issued a compelling call to action on Thursday (September 7), urging the global community to swiftly address the Rohingya crisis and initiate a secure, voluntary, and sustainable repatriation process. He underscored the potential risks to the entire region due to the shortage of humanitarian support.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 18th East Asia Summit at Jakarta Convention Centre, the President emphasized the collective responsibility of the international community in finding a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis within Myanmar, the root of the issue. Delays in repatriation efforts and the humanitarian shortfall, he warned, pose significant regional threats.
President Shahabuddin acknowledged the humanitarian role played by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who provided shelter to 1.2 million Rohingya refugees on compassionate grounds. Despite seven years of crisis, no viable solution has emerged, and Bangladesh’s resources have been stretched to their limits.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s desire to strengthen its ties with ASEAN, the President expressed a keen interest in becoming ASEAN’s Sectoral Dialogue Partner. He identified numerous sectors, such as trade, investment, transnational security, and climate change, where collaboration between ASEAN and Bangladesh could yield mutual benefits, including economic cooperation, enhanced access to regional markets, and strengthened regional integration.
The President also noted that becoming a Sectoral Dialogue Partner would facilitate cultural exchanges and cooperation on security matters, ultimately advancing Bangladesh’s relations with ASEAN.
President Shahabuddin recognized the importance of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as a vital regional forum for shared values and cooperation. He highlighted IORA’s potential for cooperation in six priority areas and two cross-cutting issues, particularly in leveraging emerging connectivity options. The President welcomed the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ASEAN and IORA as a significant mechanism for fostering mutually beneficial cooperation.
Additionally, he praised Bangladesh’s contributions to the development of the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific during its Chairship and emphasized that IORA’s involvement in the Indo-Pacific region would promote fair, equitable, and sustainable trade and investment environments, thereby enhancing economic growth and resilience in regional and global value chains.
The East Asia Summit (EAS) serves as an annual regional forum where leaders from East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Oceanian nations gather. Initially comprising 16 countries, it expanded to 18 countries, including Russia and the United States, in 2011. The EAS was inaugurated in 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, under the ASEAN Plus Six mechanism.
