By Hafizur Rahman, Cox’s Bazar, August 25, 2025
Today marks eight years since the 2017 atrocities that forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee from Arakan State, Myanmar, in what the United Nations described as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”
Across refugee camps in Bangladesh and in Rohingya communities worldwide, the anniversary was observed with solemn prayers, candlelight vigils, and renewed calls for justice and rights.
Remembering 2017 and Beyond
The commemoration reflected not only on the brutal crackdown of 2017 but also on decades of persecution that preceded it. Survivors recalled how Myanmar authorities systematically stripped Rohingya of citizenship, restricted movement, and carried out earlier military operations such as the Dragon King campaign in 1978.
For many, the trauma remains raw. Abdul Karim, a resident of Kutupalong camp, said:
“I lost my parents and two brothers in 2017. Every year this day reopens the wound. But I stand here to say that our voices cannot be silenced. We demand justice, not pity.”
Day of Resilience
Organizers emphasized that the remembrance was about resilience as much as grief.
“This is a day of resilience, not defeat,” said Syedul Mostafa, one of the event organizers in Camp-2W.
“We gather to honor the victims, but also to remind the world that the Rohingya genocide is not history — it is ongoing.”
Justice Delayed, Rights Denied
International accountability remains slow. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) continues hearings in the genocide case against Myanmar, while the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates crimes against humanity.
Yet for nearly one million Rohingya in Bangladesh’s camps, conditions remain dire — marked by food shortages, poverty, insecurity, and deep uncertainty about the future.
Community leader Kamal from the FDMN committee delivered a stark message:
“We are survivors of genocide, but survival alone is not enough. We want dignity, citizenship, and the right to live safely in our homeland. Without justice, there can be no peace.”
Ongoing Threats Inside Arakan
Participants also expressed concern about worsening conditions inside Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Since 2024, Rohingya communities have faced forced conscription, blockades, and fresh waves of violence under the control of the Arakan Army (AA). Many fear that history is in danger of repeating itself.
A Struggle That Endures
As candles were lit in memory of those lost, the collective message was clear: the wounds of genocide remain deep, but the struggle for justice, dignity, and the right of return is stronger than ever.
