Since the interim government took over, hundreds of thousands more Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh. FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Bangladesh has reiterated its call for urgent international action to resolve the prolonged Rohingya crisis, as the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution addressing the situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
The resolution, adopted by consensus at the 59th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, called for an end to the culture of impunity in Rakhine and stressed the need for inclusive governance there and meaningful representation of Rohingya Muslims in decision-making.
Arakan Army, the rebel group seeking autonomy in Rakhine, now controls around 90 percent of the state following nearly two years of fighting against the Myanmar junta.
Around 750,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh during the 2017 military crackdown, placing a heavy burden on the host country. The situation has worsened with declining humanitarian aid.
Since November 2023, another 180,000 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh to escape violence in Rakhine.
The OIC-led resolution expressed deep concern over the shrinking aid and stressed the need for equitable burden-sharing by the international community to support the over one million Rohingyas currently sheltering in Bangladesh.
Titled “The Situation of Human Rights of the Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar”, the resolution also called for unhindered humanitarian access in Rakhine by the UN and relevant humanitarian actors.
Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam, permanent representative of Bangladesh in Geneva, voiced concern over continued violence by Myanmar’s military and armed groups like the Arakan Army, which he said are blocking aid and worsening the Rohingya crisis.
He highlighted the importance of achieving practical, time-bound outcomes from the upcoming High-Level Conference on Rohingya, scheduled for September in New York.
Bangladesh, he said, remains committed to working with international partners to find a comprehensive and lasting solution through the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of Rohingyas to Rakhine.
“It is the collective duty of the international community to ensure that the rights and dignity of the Rohingya are upheld and the conditions for their return are created without delay,” Ambassador Tareq added.
The 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council began in Geneva on June 16 and will continue until July 9.
