Bangladesh Saudi Arabia News: Rohingya issue is once again in the headlines in the politics of South Asia. The lives of thousands of people displaced from Myanmar now seem to be entangled between the decisions of diplomacy. In the latest development, Bangladesh has taken a big step and issued passports to 22 thousand Rohingya refugees. Saudi Arabia is said to have played an important role behind this decision, which has given a new international dimension to this issue.

Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has confirmed that 22,000 Rohingya refugees who came to Saudi Arabia legally have been given passports, so that they can live and work there legally. Saudi Arabia says that about 69 thousand Rohingyas are still living there without passports. Saudi has demanded to provide documents for all of them as soon as possible.

Why does Saudi Arabia want a passport?

This step of Saudi is being considered not only humanitarian but also strategic. There are many big reasons behind this:

1. Making monitoring and control easier: About 1 lakh Rohingyas are living in Saudi. Without documentation, their identification and tracking is difficult. Getting a passport will make monitoring easier for the government.
2. Preparation for return in future: If they do not get valid identity now, it may be difficult to send them back in future. Saudi does not want this issue to become more complicated in the future.
3. Vision 2030 and strict immigration policy: Under Vision 2030, Saudi is increasing strictness against illegal citizens. In such a situation, Rohingya living without documents is a big challenge for him.

Why is Bangladesh agreeing with Saudi?

Bangladesh is already under immense pressure. There are more than 10 lakh Rohingya refugees in the country, due to which the burden on resources is increasing.

• Food and economic crisis: Food crisis and social problems are increasing in Bangladesh due to Rohingya refugees. The government does not have enough resources to handle this burden for a long time.
• Economic dependence on Saudi: Saudi Arabia is a major economic partner for Bangladesh. There has been talk of an investment of $10 billion in 2022, while in 2025 there will be a trade of around $4 billion. Additionally, around 3.5 lakh Bangladeshi laborers work in Saudi. In such a situation, spoiling relations with Saudi could prove costly for Bangladesh.

Is this just a humanitarian decision or diplomatic pressure?

Experts believe that this step is less humanitarian and more strategic. Saudi wants to strictly implement its immigration policy, while Bangladesh is forced to obey it due to economic and social pressure. The impact of this decision will not be limited to just two countries. The Rohingya crisis has already become a major issue between Myanmar, Bangladesh and the international community. Now this may become more complicated with the active role of Saudi in this.