Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the UN Human Rights Council’s ‘Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar’ (IIMM), paid a courtesy call on Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at his office in the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday (October 4, 2026).

Senior officials from the ministry, including Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui and Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the Political and Immigration Wing, were present during the meeting.

Detailed discussions were held regarding crimes against humanity committed in Myanmar, a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis, the strengthening of border security, and the ongoing judicial proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Home Minister stated that although Bangladesh sheltered hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds, the situation has now become complex. The armed conflict between the junta forces and the rebel Arakan Army inside Myanmar is directly impacting Bangladesh’s border areas. He noted that global assistance from international organizations is dwindling, creating additional pressure on Bangladesh. The Minister urged the international community and UN agencies to maintain high levels of financial and logistical support for the Rohingyas—as in the past—to ensure their safe, dignified, and speedy repatriation.

IIMM Head Nicholas Koumjian expressed deep gratitude for the Bangladesh government’s continued cooperation. He mentioned that his team had conducted field visits to Cox’s Bazar and other locations, interviewing approximately two hundred victims and eyewitnesses. The evidence and information collected are being submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and other international tribunals. He further stated that the IIMM is not limiting its investigation solely to the events of 2017; rather, it is also seriously documenting incidents of violence and human rights violations inflicted upon civilians due to recent clashes between the Arakan Army and the junta forces.

During the meeting, the BGB Director General highlighted the grave danger posed by landmines planted on the Myanmar side of the border. He noted that mountain runoff and monsoon rains are washing these mines across the border into Bangladesh, endangering the lives of ordinary farmers and hill communities. Additionally, the measures taken by the BGB to prevent illegal cross-border infiltration and the overall border situation were outlined.

When the IIMM team expressed interest in consulting with field-level BGB commanders to gather information from victims who had recently crossed the border, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the BGB responded positively. The Minister expressed optimism that the upcoming verdict from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would generate global pressure on Myanmar and play an effective role in repatriating displaced Rohingyas to their homeland.