A better alternative

Bangladesh needs to find more long-term solutions to the Rohingya refugee crisis. Bangladesh has already gone beyond the call of duty by giving shelter to the 1.2 million Rohingya who continue to reside in the camps near the Myanmar border. We have done everything in our power to assuage the crisis, and have stood as a beacon of hope for the Rohingya people. A good example of this is the government’s decision to allocate 540 more acres of land for the Rohingya who remain vulnerable to natural calamities, such as the upcoming monsoon. But Myanmar’s intentions, while signing the repatriation deal, were disingenuous to say the least, and their activities henceforth have been nothing more than an attempt to buy more time. Myanmar continue to filibuster the repatriation deal by making irrational demands, such as demanding proof of long-term residence in Myanmar, which, for most, had likely been lost or burned as they escaped their homeland. The Myanmar government has also acted in bad faith, disrespecting diplomatic ties between the two nations by threatening the Rohingya in the no man’s land to move back to Rakhine. At this juncture, any hope of implementing the repatriation deal is slim at best. One crucial aspect which continues to be missing is the lack of international involvement in the deal, which would ensure that Myanmar is held responsible and sticks to the deal. In the long run, it is only through widespread international pressure that any semblance of humanity can be provoked out of the Myanmar government, so that the Rohingya people can have any sense of hope to return to their homeland in Rakhine. Until then, we must ensure that the Rohingya remain protected, and that their basic human rights are upheld.