“Brother, I went there with some other refugees who were invited. For the last eight years, we have attended numerous meetings with different stakeholders.
“Each time, we shared our miseries, our pain, and the genocide we witnessed. Each time, they gave us hope. But deep in our hearts, we all know the truth -- repatriation is not possible.
“The Bamar-influenced military and the Mogh-influenced Arakan Army stand united in denying our existence and our rights, yet remain bitterly divided in their own war -- leaving our people crushed in their hostility and violence. There is no sign of peace in Arakan (Rakhine State) right now.”
These were the words of Abdullah (pseudonym), who spoke to me after returning from the High-Level Stakeholders’ Dialogue held in Cox’s Bazar from August 24 to 26.
Another refugee, Shohidullah (pseudonym), a 34-year-old Rohingya, recounted his life story:
“In this short life, I have already been a refugee three times. The first time was in 1992, when my mother fled to Bangladesh with me. We returned after a few years, hoping for peace. But in 2008, we had to come back again.
“In 2011, we returned to Arakan once more, only to flee finally in 2017. Imagine the pain of repeatedly abandoning your home, your land, and your memories. Only those who have lived this reality can understand the depth of our suffering.
“We know that repatriation is not possible now, given the situation in Myanmar and the geopolitical realities.”
His voice carried a quiet resignation -- the kind that comes from reliving the same tragedy again and again.
What is certain, however, is their deep desire to return. Every Rohingya refugee dreams of going back to their homeland if conditions ever become safe and dignified. The haunting question remains: When will that day come?
The challenge of waiting
If repatriation remains elusive, what happens in the meantime?
Take the two registered refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Rohingya have been languishing for over 33 years, living in fragile shelters with little hope or change, except for those who have either been resettled in other countries or locally integrated.
They remain confined to shanties and slum-like settlements, stripped of the future that every human being has a right to dream of. For those in the makeshift camps, eight years have already passed -- yet their reality mirrors the same hopelessness.
If we cannot ensure repatriation soon, Bangladesh, in collaboration with the United Nations and other international partners, must adopt urgent interim measures.
Refugees need more than food rations and basic health services. Rohingya refugees must be granted full access to education, freedom of movement, the right to work both inside and outside the camps, and the dignity to secure their children’s future. It is equally urgent to expand resettlement opportunities, as current efforts are far too limited to meet the Rohingya’s urgent needs.
In the aftermath of World War II, over 40 million people were displaced and resettled in countries such as the United States, Australia, Poland, Canada etc, where they have since become integral contributors to the social and economic development of their host nations.
This historical precedent underscores that providing protection, rights, and opportunities to refugees is not an act of charity, but an investment in human potential -- one that the international community must now extend to the Rohingya.
If we allow them to learn, grow, and contribute, they will not be a burden on any country. Many Rohingya abroad are already thriving in developed countries, contributing positively both to their host societies and to the Rohingya community in Bangladesh and Arakan.
Are we doing enough?
Every year, we hear of desperate Rohingya taking perilous journeys across the sea, many never reaching their destination. They risk their lives not for luxury, but for the basic dream of feeding their families and giving their children a better future.
On August 5, 2024, while celebrations of the mass uprising filled the air in Bangladesh, nearly 200 Rohingya were killed in the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, their lifeless bodies found floating in the Naf River and Bay of Bengal after drone strikes and artillery shelling by the Myanmar military and Arakan Army.
This stark tragedy reminds us that while we celebrate freedom and hope, others are enduring unimaginable suffering.
In this modern world, are we doing justice by offering nothing beyond basic food rations, basic healthcare, basic education, and shelters smaller than our kitchens? International actors must rise to their obligations under international law, and developed countries cannot turn away either.
Bangladesh also has some responsibilities. Indeed, Bangladesh has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and its Protocol. Yet the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, in a landmark decision in 2017, made it clear:
“Though Bangladesh has not formally ratified the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, yet all the refugees and asylum-seekers across the world have been regulated by this Convention for more than [60] years. This Convention has now become a part of customary international law.”
Beyond this, Bangladesh is party to eight core international human rights treaties -- including the ICCPR, ICESCR, and CRC -- that bind the state to uphold the rights and dignity of Rohingya refugees.
Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge that Bangladesh cannot -- and should not -- shoulder the refugee burden alone. Financial, technical, political, and operational responsibilities must be shared by the international community, with Bangladesh coordinating closely with the United Nations.
While Bangladesh can implement refugee-friendly policies, ensure safety and security within its borders, and actively engage with international stakeholders, the primary financial, operational, and other related obligations must be assumed by the UN and developed countries.
A plea for the future
The ICC is investigating alleged crimes against the Rohingya, and the ICJ is adjudicating The Gambia’s case against Myanmar for violations of the Genocide Convention; however, final decisions in both proceedings are likely to take considerable time. We remain hopeful that international courts will deliver justice for the Rohingya and hold the Myanmar government accountable, including compelling genuine repatriation.
With the support of the international community -- particularly through the intervention of the UN Security Council -- we believe the Rohingya of Myanmar will one day return to their homeland. This would end centuries-long ethnic persecution by the Bamar and Rakhine, and will finally come to an end.
Until that time, it is our collective responsibility to safeguard their dignity, rights, and well-being as refugees, and to pursue other durable solutions, including resettlement to third countries.
We cannot allow history to repeat itself as it has in the two registered Rohingya camps. Their lives cannot remain suspended between hope and despair forever. It is imperative to ensure that Rohingya refugees do not remain trapped in the same conditions for decades, languishing without a path to a secure future.
Immediate steps -- ensuring access to full education, standard housing, dignified work, freedom of movement, and above all, expanded resettlement to third countries -- must be pursued in parallel with the long-term solution of repatriation.
Md Mostafa Araf is an Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
