Experts urge global action on Rohingya

Experts on Monday called for stronger international engagement to ensure the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees, warning that the prolonged crisis had evolved into a global humanitarian and security challenge rather than a bilateral issue.

The call came at a roundtable titled “Navigating the Rohingya Crisis: Is Repatriation a Distant Dream?”, jointly organised by the Center for Civilizational Dialogue (CCD) and the Bangladesh Institute of Islamic Thought (BIIT) in Uttara.

Addressing the programme as chief guest, Turkish academic and former chief adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, Professor Yasin Aktay, praised Bangladesh for providing shelter to a large number of Rohingya refugees despite its own development challenges.

He said Türkiye had consistently supported Bangladesh in responding to the crisis and would continue humanitarian assistance, including food, education, healthcare and skills development for refugees.

Aktay reiterated Türkiye’s support for the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya people.

Chairing the session, Professor Dr M Abdul Aziz, founding president of CCD and Director General of BIIT, described the Rohingya crisis as one of the Muslim world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.

“This issue is no longer confined between two countries; it has evolved into a global challenge involving human rights, international law, security and geopolitical stability,” he said.

He called for stronger international solidarity, sustained diplomatic engagement and closer cooperation among think tanks and civil society organisations to achieve a lasting solution.

Speakers expressed concern that the Rohingya issue had gradually slipped from international attention despite Bangladesh continuing to host nearly 1.4 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas.

They said the prolonged presence of the refugees was placing growing socio-economic, environmental and security pressures on host communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char.

The participants also warned that human trafficking, transnational crime and maritime security risks linked to the crisis posed broader threats to stability across South and Southeast Asia.

The discussants stressed that sustainable repatriation would only be possible after creating a conducive political environment in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, ensuring security, restoring peace and guaranteeing citizenship rights for the Rohingya.

They urged the United Nations, ASEAN, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Muslim-majority countries to intensify coordinated efforts, while calling on Türkiye to play a more proactive role in international diplomatic forums.

Researchers, human rights activists, diplomats, academics and representatives of various think tanks also attended the discussion.