‘Rohingya crisis isn’t ours to solve alone’

“The Rohingya crisis is not a crisis that Bangladesh created, and it cannot be a crisis that Bangladesh solves alone,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Thursday, as Bangladesh urged the international community to step up political engagement to end the nine-year displacement of more than one million Rohingya refugees.

Speaking at a high-level conference in Dhaka on the protracted Rohingya crisis, Kobir said the prolonged displacement must not be allowed to become “normal” and called for a shift from open-ended humanitarian management towards return-linked efforts aimed at creating conditions for safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.

He said, nine years of displacement should not make displacement acceptable. It should make finding a solution more urgent than ever.

“Our policy is to accelerate the transition from open-ended humanitarian management toward return-linked programming, so that a decade of displacement does not become a lifetime,” he said.

Speaking as chief guest at a high-level conference titled “Protracted Rohingya Crisis: The Search for a Comprehensive Approach” he said Bangladesh had provided refuge and protection to more than one million Rohingya refugees despite considerable pressure on its economy, environment, public services, local communities and national security.

“Bangladesh has demonstrated humanitarian responsibility and humanitarian leadership. But humanitarian responsibility must not be mistaken for unlimited responsibility,” Kobir said.

“The Rohingya crisis is not a crisis that Bangladesh created, and it cannot be a crisis that Bangladesh solves alone,” he added.

Kobir called on the international community to move beyond expressions of solidarity towards shared responsibility and sustained political engagement, stressing that humanitarian financing must remain predictable and consistent.

He drew a clear distinction between humanitarian assistance and a political solution to the crisis.
“Humanitarian assistance manages the consequences of displacement. Only a political solution can end displacement,” he said.

For Bangladesh, he stressed, the objective remains the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingya to Myanmar.

“Return must not simply mean crossing a border. It must mean returning to a place where people can live with security, rights, dignity and confidence in their future,” Kobir said.

The state minister said the prolonged crisis also demanded a broader regional approach involving ASEAN, the United Nations, regional countries, bilateral partners and international financial institutions.

“Bangladesh remains ready to work with China, ASEAN, the United Nations and other partners in pursuing a practical and sustainable way forward.

We fully support to the accountability proceedings before the ICJ and the ICC – because Bangladesh believes justice for Rakhine and return to Rakhine must move together,” he said.

Kobir also highlighted the establishment of the National Strategy for Repatriation Committee on Rohingya Affairs by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, describing it as a decisive step towards addressing the crisis.

He said the committee brings together diplomatic, humanitarian and security institutions under a comprehensive framework.

As Bangladesh currently presides over the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Kobir said Dhaka would use the multilateral platform to keep the Rohingya crisis highly visible.

“We will work with our bilateral partners in creating an enabling environment,” he said, adding that Bangladesh would engage important stakeholders, including China and Myanmar, to pursue a peaceful and sustainable resolution.

He also stressed on expediting verification strictly under our existing bilateral Memorandum of Arrangement with Myanmar, while preparing operational modalities for the conditions that allow return.
Speaking as guest of honour, Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam put particular emphasis on the need to ensure that verification of Rohingya refugees does not become an excuse for delaying repatriation.

“Verification under the bilateral arrangements is necessary, but verification cannot become an end in itself. Nor should it be a delayed tactic or a means for exclusion. It must lead to return,” he said.

Siam said the conditions that forced the Rohingya to flee Myanmar’s Rakhine State still prevailed, while the region remained deeply unstable.

He identified three realities that could not be ignored: continuing instability and conflict in Rakhine, uncertainty over the party that controls territory and can officially be engaged on repatriation, and the continuing arrival of new Rohingya in Bangladesh.

“In other words, we are still managing the displacement while we are supposed to work on repatriation,” he said.

Siam reiterated Bangladesh’s position that “repatriation is the only solution”, while expressing concern over declining humanitarian assistance and diminishing international interest in supporting the refugees.
He stressed that humanitarian assistance could not replace a political settlement.

“Our objective must be to end the displacement, not simply manage it,” Siam said, calling for robust international political support to create conditions in Rakhine State that would allow the Rohingya to return and live normal lives.

He also emphasised that return must guarantee safety, identity and basic human rights, including access to livelihoods, education, healthcare and freedom of movement.

“The international community must continue to support critical international accountability and commitment, including the proceedings before the International Court of Justice,” Siam said.

He also rejected local integration as a sustainable solution, citing the growing burden on Bangladesh and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.

“Our position is very clear about local integration of the displaced. Local integration is not enough. For us, this is not a question of compassion but reality. It is a question of sustainability,” he said.

Siam also expressed concern over the growing costs of cross-border crimes, including trafficking and narcotics.

He urged policymakers and international partners to move beyond academic discussion and humanitarian management towards concrete political action.

“We need ideas that can move beyond the money. We need scholarship but also policy. We need humanitarian action but also political action,” he said.

The opening of the conference was also attended by Prof Dr ASM Ali Ashraf, Conference Convener, Chair, Department of International Relations and Director, Centre for Genocide Studies, University of Dhaka; Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Rector, Foreign Service Academy; Ivo Freijsen, Representative, UNHCR Representation in Bangladesh.

It brought together diplomats, academics, foreign service trainees and officials from various ministries and agencies to discuss the fallout of the protracted crisis, burden-sharing, safe and sustainable repatriation, and regional and global approaches to breaking the current impasse.