Rohingya surges to 1.2m amid fresh influx

Bangladesh is facing renewed pressure from the protracted Rohingya crisis as the number of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals sheltering in the country has climbed to nearly 1.2 million following a fresh influx triggered by escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

According to the latest humanitarian data released on Wednesday by UNHCR, the total Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh now stands at 1,189,213. The figure includes 146,989 new arrivals who entered Bangladesh after a surge in violence and instability in Myanmar throughout 2024.

The fresh arrivals, comprising 38,596 families, fled widespread violence in Rakhine State and sought refuge mainly in the camps of Cox’s Bazar, further intensifying pressure on humanitarian operations, infrastructure and local resources in southeastern Bangladesh.

UNHCR said the newly arrived Rohingyas have undergone a Biometric Identification Exercise (BIE), but they are not yet formally recognised as fully registered refugees.

They have instead been issued family cards to ensure access to emergency shelter, food, healthcare and other life-saving humanitarian assistance.

Officials and aid agencies warned that the continuing arrivals reflect the fragile and deteriorating situation inside Myanmar, where conflict, insecurity and persecution continue to prevent safe returns.
The latest figures also show a sharp rise in the refugee population over recent years.

In December 2018, Bangladesh hosted 899,349 Rohingyas. The number crossed one million in 2023 and has continued to increase steadily. Between February and March this year alone, the refugee population rose by more than 4,300 people.

Humanitarian organisations described the refugee population as overwhelmingly vulnerable, with women and children accounting for nearly 78 per cent of the total camp population. Children under the age of 14 alone constitute more than half of all refugees currently living in the camps.

Aid agencies have further identified 136,842 people with specific humanitarian vulnerabilities and protection concerns.

Among them are nearly 100,000 children considered at risk, alongside more than 12,000 persons living with disabilities and thousands of elderly refugees requiring additional support.

Most Rohingyas are currently accommodated across 33 congested camps in Cox’s Bazar district and on Bhasan Char island in the Bay of Bengal. Camp 15 remains the largest settlement with more than 67,000 residents, while Camp 1E hosts over 53,000 refugees.

The prolonged displacement has created mounting challenges for Bangladesh, which has repeatedly stressed that the crisis originated in Myanmar and therefore requires a sustainable political solution inside the country.

The government has consistently maintained that the only durable solution is the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday renewed Bangladesh’s call for stronger international support, particularly from Muslim-majority nations, to help address the crisis.

During a meeting in Dhaka with ambassadors and high commissioners of member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) stationed in Bangladesh, the premier sought coordinated diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-running Rohingya issue.

Officials familiar with the discussions said the prime minister urged OIC countries to intensify pressure on Myanmar to create conditions conducive for the return of displaced Rohingyas.

He also called for greater humanitarian assistance for Bangladesh, which has been hosting the refugees for nearly nine years.

According to government officials, Tarique Rahman emphasised that Bangladesh has demonstrated humanitarian responsibility despite enormous economic, environmental and social costs associated with hosting such a large refugee population.

The OIC has remained one of Bangladesh’s strongest diplomatic partners on the Rohingya issue. The organisation previously supported legal proceedings initiated against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice over allegations of genocide and crimes against the Rohingya population.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis have continued through various international forums involving the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major development partners.

However, meaningful progress toward repatriation has remained limited due to continuing instability in Myanmar.

Several attempts have been made in recent years to begin pilot repatriation programmes, but most Rohingyas declined to return, citing concerns over safety, citizenship rights, freedom of movement and access to livelihoods in Rakhine State.

Analysts say the renewed conflict inside Myanmar following the country’s political turmoil has further complicated repatriation efforts.

Armed clashes, insecurity and economic collapse inside Rakhine have deepened uncertainty regarding the future of displaced communities.

Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies have warned that declining international funding could severely affect food assistance, healthcare services, education and protection programmes inside the camps.
The international response to the crisis currently includes support from the United Kingdom, the United States, European Union, Japan and several UN agencies, alongside contributions from charitable organisations and private donors.

Despite continued assistance, aid officials say the scale and duration of the crisis are placing immense strain on available resources.

They cautioned that without stronger global political engagement and sustainable funding, conditions in the camps could deteriorate further.

Bangladesh has repeatedly warned that the crisis poses broader regional security and humanitarian risks if left unresolved.

Officials say the continuing influx of displaced people demonstrates that the root causes of the Rohingya crisis remain unaddressed.

With violence persisting in Myanmar and prospects for large-scale repatriation still uncertain, Bangladesh now faces the growing challenge of managing one of the world’s largest and longest-running refugee crises.

In a bid to resolve the crisis, the government is seeking greater international burden-sharing and diplomatic action to ensure the eventual return of the Rohingyas to their homeland.