Touhid Hossain Negotiations with the Arakan Army for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh are not possible as it is a non-state actor, foreign adviser Touhid Hossain has said.
He was talking to the media at the foreign ministry on Sunday.
"We have told the Myanmar government representatives in the meeting that they don't have any control on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border."
"Since we can't negotiate with the Arakan Army, we've also informed them of finding ways and means of resolving the Rohingya crisis," added Mr Hossain.
Border infiltration, drug-running, arms and human trafficking, and the future of Myanmar bulked large in the meeting.
The adviser maintained that all the participants wanted an amicable solution to the Myanmar crisis and many suggested a federal structure.
"However, it becomes clear that Myanmar cannot go back to the previous situation," he noted.
Armed conflicts along Myanmar border, especially the rise of the internet scam centre, were a major concern, said Mr Hossain, pointing out that the attendees were more concerned about others than the Rohingya issue.
"We've told them that you cannot have a stable and peaceful region if the Rohingya problem is not resolved," he continued.
The three-day six-nation consultation was held in Bangkok under the chairmanship of Thai foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa from December 19.
Myanmar deputy prime minister and foreign minister U Than Swe, among others, attended the meeting.
At the consultation, Mr Hossain expressed concerns over the protracted Rohingya humanitarian situation, aggravated by an added influx of 60,000 people from Myanmar in the last couple of months.
He also raised serious concerns over the ongoing armed conflicts along frontiers as well as transnational organised crimes, involving trafficking in persons, drugs and arms.
He urged ASEAN and other key regional actors to play a further pro-active role in restoring peace, security and democracy in Myanmar. At the meeting, the adviser offered necessary support from Bangladesh, including for rebuilding the economy of Rakhine state, when needed.
He echoed the three-point proposals made by Dr Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to the interim government, at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this September.
Mr Hossain hoped the International Conference on the Rohingya Issue would be held in the first part of 2025, as decided by the UNGA Third Committee.
He also suggested further intelligence sharing and cooperation among law-enforcement and border agencies concerned for combating transnational crimes, including those around online scam centres.
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