By Rakibul Islam Khaan Suvo
The Rohingya crisis remains an issue of global significance. However, it has become a long-term burden primarily for Bangladesh. While the crisis has affected South Asia and Southeast Asia in various ways, Bangladesh has borne the brunt of its consequences for decades.
It has led to challenges related to law enforcement, security, and social coexistence while exacerbating problems such as drug and human trafficking. Military junta of Myanmar has persecuted, oppressed, and committed genocide against its ethnic Rohingya Muslim population, forcing them to flee their homeland and seek refuge across the Bangladesh border.
Currently, over 1.3 million Rohingya reside in 33 refugee camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar. Among them, nearly 800,000 arrived in the aftermath of the brutal crackdown on August 25, 2017, and the subsequent months. Another 100,000 Rohingya sought refuge in Bangladesh in October 2016 due to persecution commited by the junta.
Many others had been living in various areas of Ukhiya and Teknaf for years before these mass influxes. Some Rohingya refugees have also been relocated to Bhasan Char in Noakhali.
Despite eight years passing since the 2017 exodus, not a single Rohingya has been repatriated to Myanmar. Instead, new Rohingya families continue to enter Bangladesh daily.
The Arakan Army, after seizing control of Rakhine, has been treating Rohingya with the same hostility as Myanmar’s genocidal junta. In the past few months, between 60,000 and 70,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine and sought shelter in Cox’s Bazar camps.
The former Bangladeshi government undertook various bilateral initiatives with Myanmar’s oppressive junta to repatriate the Rohingya.
However, critics argue that these efforts were merely performative and primarily aimed at protecting the interests of another neighboring country.
Following the 2017 genocide, the rapid influx of persecuted Rohingya into Bangladesh attracted global media attention. This led to international donor organizations, foreign governments, and NGOs providing financial assistance.
However, the support was minimal and has gradually diminished over time. Monthly food assistance per Rohingya has decreased from $16 to just $6. Foreign aid for education, healthcare, and other essential services has also steadily declined.
Over the past seven years, the world has witnessed several major events that have reshaped global priorities. Notable among them are the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and conflicts in Syria, Iraq, and Palestine-Israel.
The previous Bangladeshi government’s weak foreign policy, shifting global media focus, and donor organizations prioritizing these crises have significantly reduced international assistance for the Rohingya. Additionally, recent decisions by the U.S. administration to suspend foreign aid have introduced new challenges.
Although Bangladesh has provided refuge to the Rohingya, it lacks the necessary financial resources to support this large population.
The strain on essential supplies could lead to worsening law and order in Cox’s Bazar. Bangladeshi laborers may face unfair competition, disrupting the balance in labor-intensive sectors. Moreover, locals employed by NGOs serving the Rohingya community may face job losses.
On Thursday, March 13, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres is arriving in Bangladesh for a four-day visit. His trip, in the wake of the July revolution, holds significant importance.
Since the downfall of the fascist regime on August 5 last year, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, as head of Bangladesh’s interim government, has successfully brought the Rohingya issue back into the global spotlight. On Friday, Professor Dr. Yunus will accompany the UN Secretary-General to visit the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, where they will both join the Rohingya for Iftar.
This development is a source of hope for the Rohingya community and Bangladesh as a whole, as it will likely reignite global media attention on the issue.
Earlier this year, on February 23, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, former acting Prime Minister of Australia Julie Bishop, met with Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus at his state residence, Jamuna.
They discussed the visit of the UN Secretary-General. Bishop revealed that during their meeting in Dhaka, Guterres and Yunus would discuss engaging new donors to support the humanitarian needs of the Rohingya in the refugee camps.
Additionally, at the request of Professor Yunus, the UN plans to organize an international conference on the Rohingya crisis in the latter half of this year in Doha, Qatar. Malaysia and Finland have already agreed to co-host the event.
Meanwhile, on March 3, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwen Lewis, met with the Chief Adviser and emphasized that the UN Secretary-General’s visit could bring renewed global attention to the plight of the Rohingya.
Furthermore, on March 11, Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara met with Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus. During their discussion, Tangara reaffirmed Gambia’s commitment to pursuing justice for the Rohingya through the case it filed against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Gambia, a Muslim-majority nation in Africa, filed the genocide case against Myanmar on November 11, 2019, citing crimes such as mass rapes, arson, and systematic killings committed by Myanmar’s military in August 2017.
The Gambian Foreign Minister expressed his country’s desire to bring renewed attention to the case, emphasizing the need for justice for the persecuted Rohingya community. His meeting with the Chief Adviser just days before the UN Secretary-General’s visit highlights the significance of this diplomatic engagement.
The news of the UN Secretary-General and the interim government’s Chief Adviser visiting the refugee camps has generated excitement among the Rohingya.
They are expected to raise several key demands, including sustainable repatriation under UN supervision, the establishment of a safe zone for Rohingya in Rakhine, protection from violence by both the Arakan Army and Myanmar’s government forces, restoration of food assistance, and increased international funding for education and healthcare.
Additionally, Rohingya refugees will likely call for measures to enhance their security within the camps.
The UN Secretary-General’s visit presents an opportunity to bring the Rohingya crisis back to the center of global discourse.
Under the leadership of Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the interim government is working to engage international stakeholders in resolving the long-standing crisis.
This visit could pave the way for effective international collaboration to ensure the safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya people to their homeland.
Writer- rakibul.ik.suvo@gmail.com
Researcher- South Asian history, politics and elections.
