By Hafizur Rahman. Dhaka. December 21, 2025
Safe and dignified repatriation to Myanmar remains the only sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis, speakers said at an international conference in Dhaka, stressing that long-term displacement cannot be resolved through aid alone.
The remarks were made at the inaugural session of a conference titled Sustainable Solutions to the Rohingya Crisis: Policies and Practices, held on Saturday at the SIMEC Institute of Technology. The event was jointly organised by the SIMEC Research Centre and the SIMEC Institute of Technology, Bangladesh.
Abu Saleh Mohammed Obaidullah, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner at the RRRC office in Cox’s Bazar, said the crisis cannot be resolved outside Myanmar. He said among the three classical solutions to refugee situations, local integration, third-country resettlement, and repatriation, only repatriation remains viable in the Rohingya context.
He said Bangladesh does not have the capacity to integrate Rohingya refugees locally, while third-country resettlement has become increasingly limited. He noted that only about 5,500 Rohingya have been resettled so far and said large-scale resettlement is unrealistic in the current global political climate.
The opening session was chaired by Dr Ratan Kumar Roy, Director of the SIMEC Research Centre, Singapore. Dr Sariful Islam, Research Coordinator of the SIMEC Institute of Technology, delivered the welcome remarks.
Rohingya representatives joined the conference online from refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Several participants spoke emotionally about their desire to return home, saying they want to go back to Arakan with safety, dignity, and full citizenship rights. Others said recognition of Rohingya identity and legal status must come before any return process.
Speaking on the role of technology, Astrid Castelein, Assistant Representative for Protection at UNHCR Bangladesh, said digital tools are critical both for humanitarian assistance and long-term solutions. She said UNHCR began biometric registration of Rohingya refugees in 2018, adding that biometric data helps protect refugees and ensures aid reaches the intended recipients.
The day-long conference featured two plenary sessions, seven parallel thematic discussions, a special session on academic publishing, and a closing session.
In the concluding discussion, Dr Imtiaz Ahmed stressed the importance of regional cooperation and shared global responsibility. He said justice and accountability must be central to any solution, adding that the crisis involves not only Myanmar but also its military, regional states, international bodies, businesses, and civil society actors.
At the closing session, Engr Sardar Md Shaheen, Founder Chairman of the SIMEC Foundation, said Bangladesh has carried a heavy burden for years. He urged scholars and institutions to continue research and policy engagement, noting that the crisis has affected Bangladesh’s society, economy, and environment.
The conference brought together researchers, policymakers, humanitarian workers, Rohingya representatives, journalists, and government officials from Bangladesh, the United States, Singapore, Germany, and India. Many speakers agreed that short-term humanitarian aid is no longer sufficient and called for urgent, rights-based, and politically grounded solutions to end one of the world’s longest-running refugee crises.
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