In the face of escalating violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has underscored the urgent need to fast-track third-country resettlement for the thousands of Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh. The call was made during a meeting with officials from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at the Chief Adviser’s office in Dhaka on Sunday.
The meeting, which included senior officials from both Bangladesh and the IOM, highlighted the growing strain on Bangladesh as it continues to host over one million Rohingya refugees, the majority of whom fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017. Now, with a fresh wave of violence forcing another 8,000 Rohingya to seek refuge in Bangladesh, Dr. Yunus emphasized the need for immediate action to provide a more stable future for these displaced people.
During the meeting, IOM Chief of Mission Abdusattor Esoev provided an overview of the resettlement process, noting that while resettlement efforts resumed in 2022 after a 12-year pause, the process has only recently gained momentum. The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to accepting thousands of Rohingya refugees, but Dr. Yunus urged for an acceleration of this process, insisting that resettlement should be “easy, regular, and smooth.”
“The resettlement process should be the easiest of processes,” Dr. Yunus stressed, as he addressed IOM officials and senior members of the Bangladesh government. His words reflect the growing urgency felt by the Rohingya community, many of whom have spent years in overcrowded camps with little hope of returning to Myanmar, where they are still denied citizenship and basic human rights.
Alongside Dr. Yunus, key officials including Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin, Home Ministry Secretary Mohammad Abdul Momen, and IOM Deputy Chief of Mission Fatima Nusrath Ghazzali were present at the meeting. Together, they discussed how best to ensure the smooth resettlement of the Rohingya to developed countries, particularly the United States, which has pledged to take in more refugees.
However, as the violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State intensifies—largely fueled by clashes between the ruling junta and the Arakan Army militia—more and more Rohingya continue to flee. The recent influx adds to the already overwhelming number of refugees in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district, where camps are overcrowded, and resources are stretched thin.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has previously expressed frustration at the international community’s slow response, stating last month that Bangladesh can no longer bear the burden alone. He urged other nations, particularly India and the wider international community, to take in more Rohingya refugees and to apply pressure on the Arakan Army to halt its attacks on the Rohingya population.
For the Rohingya, who have already endured decades of persecution, resettlement offers a lifeline. But for many, that lifeline remains out of reach as bureaucratic delays and political inaction hinder the process. Dr. Yunus’s call for expedited resettlement echoes the desperation of a community caught between violence and uncertainty, waiting for the world to act.
As the crisis deepens, the need for swift and coordinated international action has never been more urgent. The future of thousands of Rohingya refugees hinges on the world’s willingness to provide them with a safe and permanent home.
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