Students for Sovereignty, one of the numerous political platforms or pressure groups to have emerged in the post-July Uprising scenario, on Tuesday warned the interim government against engaging in any kind of talks or discussions with the Arakan Army or even the UN regarding the so-called humanitarian corridor for Myanmar’s bordering Rakhine State, without first consulting the people of Bangladesh, for which the political parties can act as a conduit.
At a press conference held at the Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University, Ziaul Haque, the convener of the student-focused platform, also opposed the potential involvement of Dubai-based logistics firm DP World in the management of Chattogram Port, citing its apparent affiliations with the United States and Israel.
“We do not want to become a proxy for any state,” Ziaul said. “But the government’s reported positions and statements on the humanitarian corridor and Chattogram Port, as seen in the media, are raising serious concerns.”
He said that the government must engage in open dialogue with responsible political parties and platforms committed to upholding the country’s sovereignty, before entering into any agreement or understanding with foreign entities.
“Without public consent, the corridor or Chattogram Port cannot be handed over to foreign management,” he added.
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Under Ziaul’s leadership, the SS shot to fame, or rather infamy, when they were held to be the aggressors behind an attack on a rally held by members of the indigenous communities, who were protesting the removal of images featuring the word ‘Adivasi’ from school textbooks in the national curriculum.
Prior to that, SS had opposed the use of the same word (Adivasi, or indigenuous) in school textbooks.
They also called for an increase in the number of military camps in the Chattogram Hill Tracts and the removal of what they deemed to be "unconstitutional clauses", from the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accords.
Their list of activities so far would seem to justify observers placing them well to the right of the political spectrum.
On today’s more pressing issues, Ziaul stressed two key considerations: first, that the Rohingya crisis must be pursued in consultation with the Rohingya community and not for the interest of any foreign power, secondly, no organisation should be added here that poses potential threat to Bangladesh.
He also noted that Bangladesh’s security and interests along the border in its south-east at least, are inherently tied to the security and interests of the Rohingyas.