Bangladesh interim leader vows continued support for Rohingya
Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s interim prime minister, vowed that he will continue to support the one million Rohingya refugees that are living in camps near Cox’s Bazar, located in the southeast of the country. Yunus addressed diplomats and U.N. officials, in the capital Dhaka, on Sunday.
“We need the sustained efforts of the international community for Rohingya humanitarian operations and their eventual repatriation to their homeland Myanmar with safety, dignity and full rights,” said Yunus. The 84-year-old Nobel Prize winning economist took charge of Bangladesh’s interim government after Sheikh Hasina was ousted by anti-government protests on Aug. 5.
A 2017 military “clearance” operation in northern Arakan State forced over 700,000 Rohingya to flee into Bangladesh, which was labeled a genocide by the U.S. in 2022. Human rights groups claim that Rohingya have been targeted by both the military and Arakan Army (AA) during fighting in northern Arakan State’s Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships since May.
Military plans counteroffensive in northern Shan State
The military shared plans for a counteroffensive to regain control of areas lost to the Brotherhood Alliance in northern Shan State called “Operation Hsinbyushin.” Regime deputy leader Soe Win began planning the offensive with military officials, including drone units, in Naypyidaw on Aug. 12.
“A total of 13 military officials, including four regional commanders, four generals from the air force, and drone units [were involved in the preparations],” said an anonymous source from the military. Another source said that the Naypyidaw Regional Military Command (RMC) will play a leading role.
The sources told DVB that the military is planning a similar offensive to regain control over Arakan, Kachin and Chin states as well as Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway regions. The military launched “Operation Aung Zeya” in Karen State but has been unsuccessful in re-establishing control of the vital border town of Myawaddy since April.
Kyat depreciates after short-lived bump
The foreign exchange rate rose to 6,350 kyat per $1 USD on Monday. It came after the exchange rate dipped to 5,700 kyat per $1 USD on Aug. 16, following an announcement from the regime’s Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) that it would sell $100 million USD to help business.
The exchange rate reached a record high of 7,000 kyat per USD prior to the announcement. The kyat previously increased in value when the CBM similarly sold $200 million USD in August 2022, but it depreciated again in 2023 and 2024.
News by Region
SHAN—The Lashio General Hospital in northern Shan State reopened last week. Healthcare personnel who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) were invited back to work. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) seized control of the town after it captured the Northeastern RMC headquarters on Aug. 3.
“The public health department will also reopen soon. Temporary administrative committees have been organized in each ward of the town,” a source close to the MNDAA told DVB. Classes at schools and universities may also soon resume, added the source.
Thousands of rice paddy fields in southern and eastern Shan State have been flooded due to heavy rainfall since Aug. 14. “There are around 9,500 acres of rice paddy fields in our township, and some of them have not yet been harvested. I think half of the fields might have been destroyed by the flooding,” said a resident of Mongnai Township, which is located in southern Shan State.
Regime officials have not yet provided any assistance to residents living in areas affected by the floods. Su Su San, a meteorologist who posts weather updates on her social media account, predicts that flooding will occur Aug. 22-23 in Kalaw, Langkho, Tachileik, Keng Tung, Monghsat and Taunggyi townships.
ARAKAN—The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) announced on Aug. 16 that there is an urgent need for medical care to be given to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled from the fighting in Maungdaw Township of northern Arakan State. The AA claimed that it had rescued 20,000 Maungdaw residents.
“Five civilians died from diarrhea due to the monsoon season and there’s a lack of clean drinking water caused by flooding,” said a source from the ULA/AA. Shortages of medicines have persisted due to the military’s road and sea blockade since fighting with the AA began on Nov. 13. The AA launched its attack on Maungdaw June 16.
MON—Two civilians were killed, including one boy, and five others were injured during fighting between the military and resistance forces near Masaw bridge in Bilin Township on Saturday. Regime troops stationed near the bridge were attacked.
“Troops deployed in Bilin also fired artillery shells in retaliation for the attack, killing another civilian,” said Padoh Saw Aye Naing, the Karen National Union (KNU) secretary in Thaton District. Pro-military social media channels claimed that one of the two killed was a resistance fighter, which was denied by Bilin residents.
Read: A reassessment in India’s approach to the Myanmar crisis. DVB English News is on X, Facebook, Intsagram, Threads & TikTok. Subscribe on YouTube. Find us on YouTube Music.
