Myanmar Conflict: Rohingya repatriation stalled
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman told parliament on Monday that Repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar cannot begin due to ongoing internal unrest and armed conflict in Rakhine State.
Responding to a written question from lawmaker Shahjahan Chowdhury in the Jatiya Sangsad, the minister said Bangladesh has stepped up diplomatic efforts and legal actions at the international level to address the crisis.
He informed parliament that Bangladesh has so far sent data of more than 829,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar for verification. Of them, Myanmar authorities have verified 354,751 individuals, while 253,964 have been identified as former residents as of January 2026.
The minister recalled that in 1978, around 200,000 Rohingyas who had fled to Bangladesh were successfully repatriated under a bilateral agreement during the leadership of former president Ziaur Rahman.
Later, in 1992, another 236,000 Rohingyas were repatriated under then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
Despite the current instability in Myanmar, particularly clashes between the military and ethnic armed groups, the minister expressed hope that the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would take effective steps based on past experience.
He said Bangladesh has intensified diplomatic initiatives in recent months to find a lasting solution. On 30 September 2025, a high-level event on the Rohingya issue was held for the first time during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation was presented as the only sustainable solution.
A stakeholder dialogue was also held in Cox’s Bazar on 25 August 2025, bringing together diplomatic missions in Dhaka, UN agencies and Rohingya representatives to share their views.
On the legal front, Bangladesh is closely observing the ongoing case of The Gambia vs Myanmar at the International Court of Justice in The Hague over allegations of genocide against the Rohingya.
The minister said hearings on the merits phase of the case were held from 12 to 29 January 2026, and Bangladesh has decided to provide additional financial support to The Gambia to help cover legal costs.
He added that the Rohingya issue is also receiving importance at the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Bangladesh expects two separate resolutions on the issue at the next meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation foreign ministers.
The government’s position remains clear, the minister said, that safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar is the only solution to the crisis.
