Rohingyas still wait for a safe return to Myanmar
For more than a decade, over 1.2 million Rohingyas have remained trapped in Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Myanmar, living in overcrowded camps with shrinking humanitarian assistance and little prospect of a safe and dignified return home.
As the crisis reaches its tenth year, the displaced community is preparing to mark Rohingya Day on Tuesday with rallies in camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf,
renewing their call to the international community to help create conditions for their return to Myanmar.
For the Rohingyas, the anniversary is a stark reminder of prolonged displacement, repeated failed repatriation initiatives and years of international commitments that have yet to produce a durable solution.
The latest mass exodus began on 25 August 2017, when Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw, launched a campaign in Rakhine State following attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army on security posts.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas crossed into Bangladesh amid widespread reports of killings, village burnings, sexual violence and other atrocities.
The United Nations described the persecution as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.
Bangladesh opened its border to the fleeing population and received widespread international praise for sheltering people escaping one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies.
What was initially regarded as an emergency response, however, has become a protracted refugee crisis.
Today, most of the Rohingyas live in densely populated camps in Cox’s Bazar, while others have been relocated to Bhasan Char.
Despite bilateral agreements, international initiatives and repeated diplomatic efforts, not a single Rohingya has returned to Myanmar through an organised repatriation programme since the 2017 mass influx.
Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammed Mizanur Rahman said the refugees themselves were increasingly eager to return because of the difficult conditions in the camps.
“The Rohingyas want to return home as they are leading a very difficult life here in congested camps. Our efforts are on to resolve the crisis,” he told The New Nation.
“The crisis entered 10 years but unfortunately no Rohingyas have returned. The humanitarian assistance are shrinking as well. We urge international community to come forward to resolve the crisis. Myanmar has create the crisis and the solution lies there,” he added.
Mizanur Rahman said the crisis could no longer be treated as Bangladesh’s problem alone.
“The Rohingyas would hold rallies in two camps in Ukhia and Teknaf to tell the world community to make arrangement for their return,” he said.
‘The 10 years should not be 20 years’
The government maintains that humanitarian assistance, although essential, cannot replace repatriation.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam has said the crisis must not continue for another decade and expressed confidence that the government could make progress towards resolving it.
“The 10 years should not be 20 years,” she said, calling for renewed international efforts to end the prolonged displacement.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir also urged stronger international action, saying collective pressure was needed to create conditions for a sustainable and dignified return.
“The international community must work together to create meaningful pressure on Myanmar to ensure the sustainable and dignified return of the Rohingyas,” he said.
Five pathways, no return
Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, Executive Director of the Centre for Alternatives and Dean of the Asian Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs, said five major approaches had been pursued over the past decade, but none had succeeded in bringing about repatriation.
The first was the bilateral mechanism established between Bangladesh and Myanmar after the 2017 crisis.
“The bilateral pathway did have series of meetings but up until now nothing has come out of that. It is still there, but it has not delivered,” he said.
A second pathway involved the United Nations and its commitment to voluntary, safe and dignified repatriation. It, too, failed to produce returns.
The third involved China, with Bangladesh, Myanmar and Beijing agreeing to cooperate on repatriation. A pilot initiative generated some movement but ultimately did not result in returns.
The fourth pathway involves international accountability, including proceedings at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Professor Imtiaz said this was one area where some progress had been made, noting that ICJ judgments had recognised the Rohingyas.
“The fifth pathway and the last pathway is re-imposing sanctions,” he said, adding that sanctions had failed to deliver a solution because several major countries did not join the effort.
Rethinking the approach
Professor Imtiaz said Bangladesh and its international partners needed to look beyond strategies pursued over the past decade.
He proposed an Arakan Stabilisation Plan based on economic incentives and investment in infrastructure, agriculture, education, energy, healthcare and manufacturing.
The objective, he said, would be to create economic interests that could encourage stability in Rakhine State and eventually support the return of the Rohingyas.
“Can we have a win-win situation?” he asked, arguing that diplomacy could not rely solely on pressure and sanctions. “You can’t have only sticks. You need carrots.”
He said economic incentives could give Bangladesh greater leverage in discussions with Myanmar and other influential actors.
Professor Shahab Enam Khan of Jahangirnagar University’s Department of International Relations said the prospects for repatriation were now closely linked to the wider military and geopolitical situation in Myanmar.
China remains particularly important because of its economic and strategic interests in regional stability and connectivity through Myanmar, he said.
The rise of the Arakan Army, however, has further complicated the situation. The group has emerged as a major power in Rakhine, raising questions over who could guarantee security for returning Rohingyas.
Experts warn that continued fighting could trigger another humanitarian disaster, including what Professor Shahab described as “catastrophic starvation”.
They also argue that the international response needs to extend beyond humanitarian assistance, with the Rohingyas potentially contributing their skills and labour to reconstruction and economic activity in Myanmar and the wider region once conditions permit.
Meanwhile, Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry has recently indicated that it is prepared to accept more than 300,000 Rohingyas verified as former residents of Rakhine State, provided security conditions improve.
Bangladesh has also formed a high-level committee to give special attention to the repatriation process.
But as the Rohingyas mark another year in exile, the central question remains unresolved: when will they be able to return home safely, voluntarily and with dignity?
