Nearly five months have passed since UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh and pledged to initiate the repatriation process. However, little progress has been made since then. The Myanmar government has shown no willingness to cooperate, and the international pressure required to move the process forward has proven ineffective. Meanwhile, the Myanmar junta has exacerbated the crisis by continuing to push more Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, deepening the complexities of the situation.
The delay in repatriation has put a significant strain on Bangladesh, both financially and logistically. Sources from the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Home Affairs suggest that the government is struggling to bear the increasing costs of hosting the refugees. While the World Bank has asked for updates on the repatriation process, the lack of movement has raised doubts about immediate solutions.
To address the issue, a special conference will be held in Cox’s Bazar on August 25, bringing together diplomats, UN representatives, and international stakeholders to apply pressure on Myanmar. The conference will be inaugurated by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Additionally, a special session on refugees and ethnic minorities, including the Rohingya crisis, is scheduled for September 30 at the UN headquarters, where Bangladesh will highlight the urgent need for action.
Guterres’ visit to the Rohingya camps in March 2025 had initially raised hopes for a swift repatriation process. During his visit, he emphasized the refugees’ strong desire to return to Myanmar, while also stressing the urgent need for better living conditions in the camps. He called on all parties, including Myanmar, to act quickly and facilitate the repatriation. Bangladesh’s interim government shared this optimism, expecting talks with Myanmar to begin soon. However, five months later, little progress has been made. Myanmar has not shown any willingness to cooperate and continues to push more refugees into Bangladesh, further complicating the situation.
Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, confirmed that no formal progress has been made in the repatriation process. “We remain in contact with the concerned countries and agencies, including Myanmar, but the lack of international pressure on Myanmar has delayed the process,” Rahman said.
Sources indicate that Bangladesh’s efforts have been hindered by the controversial proposal for a humanitarian corridor, which met with strong local opposition. The Myanmar junta also rejected this proposal, and the negative reaction from Bangladesh’s citizens further complicated negotiations. Moreover, the UNHCR’s advocacy for relocating refugees to a third-party safe zone, rather than returning them to Myanmar, has further stalled the process. While the U.S. has shown support for the relocation plan, its implementation remains distant.
Zahid Hussain, former chief economist at the World Bank’s Dhaka office, criticized the United Nations’ handling of the issue. “The UN should play a more significant role, but it has shown itself to be ineffective. The Rohingya crisis remains unresolved due to a lack of action,” he said.
With no immediate solution in sight, the Rohingya crisis continues to strain Bangladesh’s resources and international relations. The international community, particularly the UN, will need to take more decisive action to resolve this humanitarian crisis.
