Reza Uddin’s recent speech - delivered in his capacity as Director General of the Arakan Rohingya Union - purports to be a rallying cry for community mobilisation and strategic engagement, and it makes for a fascinating document. Its content raises many questions about authorship and purpose. From its critique of diaspora efforts to its overtures towards Bangladesh and its curious invocation of individuals like the jailed Dil Mohammed and retired Bangladeshi generals, the speech reads like a cleverly crafted manifesto. But for whose agenda?
An Acknowledgement of Diaspora Failure
Uddin’s frank admission that the diaspora has failed to effectively champion the Rohingya cause is a departure from usual narratives. This failure, he suggests, stems from their inability to commit fully, their preoccupation with personal livelihoods, and their geographical detachment from the refugee camps. This critique, albeit honest, feels engineered to justify the sidelining of the diaspora in favour of camp-based leadership.
It diminishes the work done by diaspora activists who, despite limited resources and some personal risk, have kept the Rohingya struggle alive on the global stage. The dismissal of these efforts in favour of a vague “camp-based” structure suggests an agenda designed to concentrate power locally, potentially under some kind of influence.
Bangladesh: The Centre of Focus
The speech’s fixation on Bangladesh is puzzling. While it’s logical to seek support from a neighbour hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees, the tone and content suggest something deeper. The Arakan Rohingya Union leader’s call for Bangladesh to establish a clear Rohingya policy, complete with a politically active organisation within the camps, is unprecedented. His insistence on aligning with Bangladesh’s national interests - even over core Rohingya demands like ethnic recognition and citizenship - betrays a calculated effort to appease Dhaka. Let me quote him just in case you don’t believe me. He said,
“This organisation should work in line with Bangladesh’s national interests because simply demanding ethnic recognition, citizenship, Rohingya identity, land, and rights will not bring Bangladesh to support us.”
Those words seem to echo other words. In fact, remember that this is exactly what Bangladeshi refugee bureaucrats say to the refugees —”go back home and then demand your identity and rights. No point in doing so in Bangladesh.” So we have a convergence of narratives, one that could be interpreted as either strategic alignment or an outside push shaping the Rohingya leadership - or at least this particular leader.
By echoing the words of Bangladeshi officials, the speech raises questions about its true authorship and intent. This is no ordinary plea; it’s a blueprint designed to embed the Rohingya crisis into Bangladesh’s domestic politics. One must ask: who benefits from such a close tethering of Rohingya aspirations to Bangladesh’s strategic goals?
The Curious Case of Dil Mohammed
Even more intriguing is Uddin’s mention of Dil Mohammed, a well-known figure currently in prison. Reza Uddin's praise of Dil Mohammed as an ideal candidate for leadership within the camps also raises questions. Why invoke someone incarcerated, and whose detention symbolises the very limits of Rohingya agency in Bangladesh?