Dhaka: On the seventh anniversary of the military crackdown that forced their exodus, tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees rallied in camps across Bangladesh on Sunday, demanding an end to violence and the safe return to Myanmar.
Currently, more than a million Rohingya refugees live in overcrowded camps in southern Bangladesh, facing bleak prospects of returning home where they are largely denied citizenship and basic rights. The situation has worsened recently, with reports suggesting that thousands more have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state as clashes intensify between the ruling junta and the Arakan Army, a powerful ethnic militia with ties to the Buddhist majority.
In Cox’s Bazar, refugees of all ages participated in the demonstration, waving placards and chanting slogans. Many wore ribbons emblazoned with the phrase “Rohingya Genocide Remembrance.” Among the messages displayed were, “Hope is home” and “We Rohingya are the citizens of Myanmar.”
“Enough is enough. Stop violence and attacks on the Rohingya community,” said refugee Hafizur Rahman.
The recent violence represents the worst assault on the Rohingya since the 2017 Myanmar military-led campaign, which the United Nations has condemned as having genocidal intent. That campaign forced over 73,000 Rohingya to flee across the border into Bangladesh.
Densely populated Bangladesh considers repatriation the only viable solution, but local communities have grown increasingly hostile as funding for the Rohingya has diminished. Foreign Minister Mohammad Touhid Hossain emphasized this month that Bangladesh cannot accommodate additional Rohingya refugees, urging India and other nations to contribute more. He also called for increased international pressure on the Arakan Army to cease attacks on the Rohingya in Rakhine state.
Also Read | Gaza Ceasefire Talks Hit a Stalemate as Hamas Rejects Israeli Demands
UNICEF has expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Rakhine, highlighting the plight of civilians, particularly children, who are caught in the crossfire. The agency noted that seven years after the exodus, “about half a million Rohingya refugee children are growing up in the world’s largest refugee camp.”
“We want to return to our homeland with all the rights. The United Nations should take initiatives to ensure our livelihood and peaceful coexistence with other ethnic communities in Myanmar,” said Rohingya refugee Mohammed Taher.
