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Publication of what many Bangladeshis viewed as a map of an "Independent Rakhine State" carved out of territory belonging to both Myanmar and Bangladesh prompted strong reactions on social media and concern among Bangladesh's strategists this week. On Sunday, the influential Buddhist monk Ven. U Kandala, believed to be an unofficial envoy of the Arakan Army, shared a map image on his Facebook page that included part of southeastern Bangladesh's Chattogram Division as part of an entity variously labeled as "Greater Rakhine" or "Independent Rakhine State."

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Fall 2025: Issue 43