by Hafizur Rahman
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh — September 18, 2026
Coordinators associated with the Rohingya Gen-Z movement from several refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar met on Friday to discuss security, community cooperation, justice and the future of Rohingya youth.
According to organisers and participants, the meeting brought together coordinators from different camps to exchange concerns and discuss how young Rohingya could work more closely across camp boundaries.
Participants discussed insecurity in the camps, divisions within the community, access to justice and the conditions they believe are necessary for Rohingya refugees to return voluntarily, safely and with dignity to Arakan.
They also discussed the role of young people in addressing community problems and participating more actively in decisions affecting their future.
A youth-led movement
Rohingya Gen-Z describes itself as a decentralised youth movement that emerged within the refugee community in 2026.
The movement has previously organised campaigns and issued statements concerning camp security, accountability, violence, corruption and Rohingya rights.
Earlier this year, Rohingya Gen-Z activists also publicly challenged established community power structures and called for greater accountability over insecurity and intimidation in the camps.
The movement has said that any future return to Myanmar must include recognition of Rohingya identity, citizenship, security, freedom of movement and other fundamental rights.
Concerns over a generation growing up in displacement
Participants at Friday’s meeting also discussed the situation of Rohingya children and young people who have spent most or all of their lives in Bangladesh’s refugee camps.
Many younger Rohingya have never lived in Arakan and know their families’ places of origin mainly through parents, relatives and community memory.
One participant said the older generation could not continue leaving unresolved responsibilities to younger Rohingya.
“We cannot keep transferring our responsibilities to the next generation,” the participant said. “If we continue to wait without taking responsibility ourselves, we risk leaving the same unfinished struggle to our children.”
Calls for cooperation
The coordinators also discussed cooperation with community-based organisations, youth groups, community leaders and Rohingya in the diaspora.
Participants acknowledged differences in views and priorities among Rohingya groups but said stronger communication was needed on issues affecting the wider community.
Organisers described Friday’s meeting as an initial effort to build closer coordination among Rohingya Gen-Z representatives across different camps.
Rohingya Khobor could not independently establish how many camps were represented at the meeting or whether it was the first gathering of its kind.
