Amidst various uncertainties, a three-day international conference on Rohingya is starting in Cox's Bazar today. Myanmar's Rakhine State is now under the control of the Arakan Army. In this situation, the conference is being held with the issues of Rohingya repatriation, humanitarian assistance, and ensuring their rights in mind. As various donor countries and international organizations have not provided funds for the Rohingya as promised, issues such as health, education, food, and security in the camps have become extremely fragile. Not only that, many health and education support services have been closed in the camps. As a result, the humanitarian situation there is now at great risk.
There is no good news yet about the repatriation of millions of Rohingya who fled the genocide and torture of the junta government in Rakhine, Myanmar and took refuge in Bangladesh. Eight years have passed. The influx of Rohingya began on August 25, 2017. There is currently an armed conflict between the junta forces and the Arakan Army in Rakhine. There is no environment for Rohingya repatriation there. As a result, there is great doubt about how much fruit will be obtained from such a conference.
Sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that about 80 foreign representatives of diplomats from 23 countries and international organizations stationed in Dhaka are attending the conference organized by the interim government. Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus will address the conference as the chief guest on Monday. The purpose of this conference is to repatriate Rohingyas, increase humanitarian assistance and ensure their rights. But due to the ongoing conflict between the junta forces and ethnic groups in Rakhine, another 1.5 lakh Rohingyas have arrived in the last one year. Four to five thousand Rohingyas are waiting at the border every day waiting to enter Bangladesh. Among them, the Foreign Advisor of Bangladesh, the Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka, and the UN representative, all the parties concerned have been saying that there is no environment to send even a single Rohingya back to Rakhine. In this situation, the concerned officials are also worried about how successful the future of the conference organized in Cox's Bazar will be.
Talking to the Rohingyas who have taken shelter in the camps, we learn about their painful lives. Sudapara is a village near Maungdaw city in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Abdul Malek fled from that village to Bangladesh on August 25, 2017, facing persecution by the junta forces, along with his wife and four children. Since then, he has been living in a room in Rohingya Camp No. 10 in Balukhali, Ukhia, for eight years.
Abdul Malek said that it is impossible for them to return to Rakhine now. He asked, where can they return? Is there an environment to return there? According to the information he provided, many relatives were in the village after fleeing the persecution of the Myanmar junta. But now that the village is no more after it was taken over by the Arakan Army. There are no Rohingya there anymore. Many of those who were there have fled. Not only Abdul Malek, but other Rohingyas also say that after eight years of the Rohingya crisis, repatriation to Rakhine State, which is controlled by the Arakan Army, is not possible.
Hossain Ali from Lambashia camp in Ukhia said that they want security and dignified repatriation. Now Rakhine is under the control of the Arakan Army, how can they get security there?
Mohammad Jobayer, chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society, inquires, "Who will take our responsibility? The junta government has not made it clear. Repatriation without a safe zone is not a sustainable solution. So many questions remain about whether repatriation is really possible or not."
According to Badrul Islam, a resident of the camp, even if the junta government takes them back, they will send them to Rakhine. The Arakan Army is now in control there. Who will they go to?
According to information, more than 90 percent of Rakhine has been under the control of the rebel group Arakan Army since December 2024. The Myanmar government does not have power in these areas. Last year, the BIMSTEC summit in Thailand as well as the Bangladesh-Myanmar meeting saw new possibilities. Out of the eight hundred thousand Rohingya listed, the Myanmar junta government identified 180,000 as eligible for repatriation. However, the junta government does not have control over Rakhine. After that, there has been no further progress in the issue of sending the Rohingya back.
Meanwhile, the chief advisor to the interim government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, told a gathering of Rohingyas last Ramadan that the Rohingyas will be able to celebrate Eid in their own country next Eid, whether this Eid is celebrated or not. He is committed to sending the Rohingyas back at any cost despite the challenges. The chief advisor's assurances are currently bringing relief to the Rohingyas. However, they are not getting any hope due to the conflict situation in Rakhine and the lack of progress in the talks. Thousands of Rohingyas have gathered at the border due to the increasing conflict inside Myanmar. They will enter Bangladesh after understanding the situation.
Migration expert Asif Munir said, "It is not clear where and how the repatriation will take place. Rakhine is now under the control of the Arakan Army. The Myanmar government has no control. The Arakan Army is in conflict with the Rohingya. New Rohingya infiltration is taking place. As a result, it is not possible to say when the repatriation will see the light of day."
The number of Rohingyas who have taken refuge in Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state is now 1.3 million. About 40,000 new Rohingya babies are being born every year. In addition, new Rohingyas are entering every day. Although there is no room for new Rohingyas in the Rohingya camps, there is no way out. In this situation, humanitarian aid provided to the Rohingya by the United States and other donors has also decreased significantly. This has put Bangladesh in a new crisis with the Rohingyas.
Translated by: Mugdhota Kamal Afroz
