This year World Refugee Day is observed without any success in the repatriation of Rohingya people who escaped systematic genocide in 2017 in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The most persuaded population has been living in the squalid camps in Cox’s Bazar for years after years when they become more in numbers.
In the meantime, five years have elapsed, hundreds of commitments made and unmade, several reports prepared, recommendations upheld, global support overflowed, and many more but not any refugees repatriated to their ancestral lands. Environmental, ecological, political, economic, and geographical challenges cull the host country; however, no progress is seen, not any global pressure bends Myanmar to redress their violence and bring their national back.
Bangladesh has been asking Myanmar, for quite some time, to expedite the verification of Rohingyas to fast-track their repatriation. But the Myanmar authorities seem to be reluctant to do so. It appears they are just wasting time in the name of verifying Myanmar nationals, who fled around five years ago after enduring a brutal military crackdown in the Rakhine State. With the funding for the refugees waning, the government is facing huge pressure in taking care of such a large number of refugees. The recent rise in violence, drug peddling, human trafficking, and other criminal activities in and around the camp areas has also become a security threat for Bangladesh.
Almost a million Rohingya are confined to bamboo and tarpaulin shacks in 34 squalid camps in the southeastern part of the country, with no work, poor sanitation, and little access to education. A growing number of Rohingya are involving evil works like human trafficking, drug smuggling, sex work, and militancy. Previous repatriation attempts have failed with Rohingya refusing to go home until Myanmar gives the largely Muslim minority guarantees of rights and security.
In order to resolve the current stalemate, both Bangladesh and Myanmar should hold regular meetings through their Joint Working Group and Technical Working group. And the role of the international community cannot be underestimated either. The global community must act unitedly to reduce the plight of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas and repatriate them to their own country.
