Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, is being seen as a potential game-changer in the international efforts to address the Rohingya refugee crisis. His global prominence and connections could persuade Western governments to host refugees, according to Michael Kugelman, a leading expert on South Asian affairs.
Yunus, who is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York this month, has a significant opportunity to appeal for global support. His platform at the UN, combined with meetings on the sidelines, could bring much-needed attention to the plight of Rohingya refugees, Kugelman wrote in the Foreign Policy’s South Asia Brief.
The task is not without challenges. “The scale of the Rohingya crisis, combined with other global humanitarian priorities, might make it difficult for Yunus to gain immediate commitments from Western governments,” Kugelman explained. However, the stakes are extraordinarily high for the Rohingya community and for Bangladesh itself.
Rohingya refugees, currently living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh, are facing severe hardships. They depend entirely on humanitarian aid for survival. Since 2020, thousands have been relocated by Dhaka to a remote and flood-prone island, raising concerns about their safety and well-being. Moreover, as Bangladesh does not provide them with citizenship, many Rohingya refugees are deprived of access to education and basic services.
This week, Yunus called for an expedited third-country resettlement of Rohingya refugees, a step seen as critical to easing the burden on Bangladesh, which hosts over 1.2 million refugees, many of whom fled military violence in Myanmar in 2017. The situation has become more urgent in recent months, with approximately 8,000 more Rohingya refugees crossing the border into Bangladesh due to intensifying conflict in Myanmar.
Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has garnered international respect through his work in microfinance and his long-standing ties with Western governments. Kugelman suggests that these relationships position him to make strong appeals for increased humanitarian aid to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
However, while the international community has already provided considerable support, including $2.4 billion from the U.S. since 2017, there is an urgent need for sustained aid. The Hasina government’s $852 million appeal for assistance has been largely underfunded, according to the United Nations.
The real challenge lies in finding third-country resettlement options for the Rohingya. While the former Hasina government aimed to repatriate some Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, often involuntarily, Yunus’s interim government is taking a different approach. Given the worsening conflict in Myanmar, resettlement is now the preferred solution.
However, this path is fraught with obstacles. Few countries have so far agreed to host Rohingya refugees, and the number of Rohingya being resettled outside of Bangladesh remains low. While nations like India, Malaysia, and Thailand host a combined total of 345,000 Rohingya refugees, much more international support is needed.
The urgency is further highlighted by the dangerous sea routes that many Rohingya refugees take to escape to Southeast Asia, often resulting in deadly voyages or violent opposition upon arrival.
Kugelman stressed that the long-term consequences for Bangladesh of hosting such a large refugee population include increasing economic strain and potential radicalization risks. For these reasons, international intervention and support are crucial.
Ultimately, the Rohingya community may find a powerful advocate in Yunus, whose influence on the global stage could open doors to new possibilities. Kugelman concluded that Yunus, with his credibility and international reputation, is well-suited to take on the challenge of securing international support for the Rohingya, if he chooses to do so.
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