Bangladesh’s Islamist political organization, Jamaat-e-Islami, on April 27,2025 had met officials from the Chinese Communist Party in Dhaka where they communicated their idea of a separate Muslim state in the Arakan region of Myanmar to accommodate the displaced Rohingya Muslims settled in Bangladesh.
The formerly banned political organization which is known to propagate radical Islamist beliefs in Bangladesh had made the proposal of carving out an independent Muslim-majority Arakan State in Myanmar’s Rakhine region during this meeting with Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Jamaat believed that a separate Muslim State in the Rakhine region will be a permanent solution for the Rohingyas although this kind of plan most likely to disturb the geopolitical balance in the sensitive region, particularly in the Northeast of India.
The rise of Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh and their meeting with the Chinese to create a separate Muslim majority state has taken shape amidst significant political transformation in Bangladesh at the aftermath of the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and banning of her party, the Awami League under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act.
The Rise of Jamaat
The Bangladeshi political scene took an unexpected turn in August 2024 when sudden student protests broke out in the country against the government where the Jamaat’s student wing played a key role. Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power following these protests often called the “Monsoon Revolution.” Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge as the Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh’s interim government promising to bring democratic reforms and national reconciliation.
However, Muhammad Yunus’s interim government lifted the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, which allowed the party to re-enter the political landscape in Bangladesh. Jamaat-e-Islami which was banned in 2013 for its alleged role in war crimes during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War is now presenting itself as a “moderate and democratic” party, and advocates for an Islamic welfare state in Bangladesh.
The Arakan State Proposal
During the April 27 meeting with the Chinese officials, leaders of the Jamaat said humanatarian aid is not a permanent solution for the displaced Rohingyas. Jamaat-e-Islami proposed the formation of an independent Arakan State in Myanmar’s Rakhine region itself to help resettle the Rohingya refugees currently residing in Bangladesh.
Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, a senior Jamaat leader, stressed China’s importance towards achieving this solution emphasizing China’s influence in the region. He said, “Providing food and shelter is not a lasting answer. The real solution lies in resettling the Rohingyas in their own homeland, through the creation of an independent Arakan State.”
What it means for India’s Northeast
1. Proximity to India’s Northeast
Jamaat’s Arakan State would be a nightmare for the strategic security of India as the Rakhine region of Myanmar shares a border with India’s northeastern state of Mizoram. This raises serious concerns about India’s security and outcomes similar to what India is already facing at its Bangladesh’s border with potential cross-border insurgency, illegal migration, and the spread of Islamist ideologies into India’s sensitive Northeast region.
2. Security Concerns
The rise of Jamaat-e-Islami and its subsequent proposal for an Muslim majority Arakan State within Myanmar might rally other Islamist groups in the region bringing them together. Though Jamaat’s activities are historically monitored by India’s intelligence agencies due to its connections with extremist groups, the revival of ISI-backed Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh does not bode well for India.
3. Demographic Pressures
India already hosts a significant number of Rohingya refugees, particularly in states like Jammu and Telangana. The establishment of a new Rohingya state just at the border of the North East India could lead to further displacement and illegal migration, thus escalating the already existing demography challenges.
4. Geopolitical Dynamics
Jamaat-e-Islami reaching out to China for an Arakan State raise many eyebrows adding a new dimension to regional geopolitics. A possible Chinese involvement in the proposed Arakan State could disturb balance of power in the region, threatening India’s strategic interests and influence in its North East borders.
Recent Developments and International Outreach
Jamaat-e-Islami has actively started its international lobbying, aiming to gain support from various international stakeholders like the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The political organization also aims to internationalize the proposal and secure backing for the formation of the Arakan State, a solution for the Rohingyas while strengthening its legitamacy as a political party. However, Myanmar’s military has rejected the proposal and deemed it as a threat to Myanmar’s national sovereignty.
Bangladesh to deport Rohingyas if a separate Arakan State is created?
Though Jamaat-e-Islami had made claims that the proposal of Arakan State in Myanmar is about resettling Rohingyas settled in Bangladesh. This is direct undermining of Myanmar’s sovereignty and interest. While this move is an add on to the existing political changes in Bangladesh, it also poses threat to geopolitical stability in the region, particularly in the Northeast India.
As Jamaat-e-Islami works towards strengthening and consolidating its political position in Bangladesh after the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, India must monitor the situation closely so that the interests of Northeast of India is protected.
