Dhaka, 26 February, 2026
Than Swe has congratulated Bangladesh’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, expressing firm commitment to deepening bilateral ties and strengthening cooperation between Naypyidaw and Dhaka.
In a significant parallel move, Twan Mrat Naing, chairman of the United League of Arakan (ULA) and head of the Arakan Army (AA), also sent a congratulatory message to Rahman — marking the first such outreach to a Bangladeshi foreign minister.
Naing wrote that he hoped Rahman would “continue to work with us to find practical, sustainable and realistic solutions,” adding that there was now an opportunity to chart a new course of friendship between Bangladesh and Arakan.
The messages are being viewed as a strong indication of readiness from both the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army to engage the newly formed Bangladesh government in efforts to resolve the protracted Rohingya crisis.
A senior official at Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said the communications reflect growing confidence in Dhaka’s approach to pursuing a peaceful resolution through continued dialogue and engagement.
Bangladesh has maintained contact with both Myanmar authorities and the Arakan Army while also engaging key countries and the United Nations to advance a durable solution.
The Rohingya community has consistently reiterated its demand for safe return to ancestral homes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, including at a multi-stakeholder dialogue in Cox’s Bazar and during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025.
