by Hafizur Rahman
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh | July 31, 2026
Hundreds of Rohingya refugees gathered in Camp 8W in Cox’s Bazar on Friday during the visit of a senior U.S. envoy, calling for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar with full citizenship, equal rights, security, justice and international protection.
The peaceful demonstration was organised by the United Council of Rohingya (UCR) under the theme “Hope Is Home.” Participants held placards and banners urging the international community to help create conditions that would allow Rohingya to return to their homeland in Arakan with rights and protection.
The demonstrators said the current situation in Myanmar does not provide the conditions necessary for safe return. They stressed that repatriation cannot be treated as a real solution unless Rohingya are guaranteed citizenship, freedom, security and justice.
“Our return to Arakan must be voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable. It must guarantee full citizenship, equal rights, security, justice and international protection. Without these, repatriation cannot be a real solution,” one protester told Rohingya Khobor.
Another participant said the gathering showed that Rohingya refugees still want to return home, but not under unsafe or uncertain conditions.
“Seeing hundreds of our Rohingya brothers peacefully raise their voices in Camp 8W gave us hope. We are not asking for anything extraordinary. We simply want to return home with dignity, safety and justice,” he said.
A third participant said Rohingya refugees were tired of life in exile and wanted their future restored in their homeland.
“No more refugee life. Returning home is our right. You have your home; we miss ours. Our only dream is to return to Arakan with full citizenship, our rights, dignity and future restored,” he said.
The protesters also called for Rohingya representatives to be included in all discussions and decisions about their future. They said host countries, international organisations and foreign governments often discuss repatriation without meaningful participation from Rohingya communities themselves.
“No one asks what the Rohingya people need. Decisions about our future are often made without including Rohingya representatives or listening to our voices,” one participant said.
Another protester added, “Host countries discuss and plan Rohingya repatriation, yet the Rohingya themselves are too often left unheard. Any decision about our future should include meaningful participation from our community.”
A Rohingya youth at the demonstration said lasting solutions could not be achieved without direct Rohingya involvement.
“I hope Rohingya representatives will be included in all discussions and decision-making processes that affect our future. Nothing about us should be decided without us,” he said.
The demonstrators also appealed to the United States to continue its leadership in responding to the Rohingya crisis. They urged stronger international efforts to ensure accountability for atrocities committed against the Rohingya and to support a durable solution based on rights, justice and protection.
Participants expressed appreciation for continued U.S. humanitarian assistance, describing the United States as one of the largest donors to the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh. They said they remained hopeful that sustained international engagement could help create the conditions needed for their safe and dignified return.
Rohingya refugees have repeatedly said they want to return to Myanmar only when their rights, citizenship, security and freedom of movement are guaranteed. Previous repatriation efforts have failed because refugees refused to return without credible protection and justice.
